Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1910-09-15
GIGANTIC AMAZON
It Is the Greatest as Well as the
Strangest of Rivers.
ITS UPPER PART A MYSTERY.
Shrouded In lmpenetrable Forests and
Vine Growths Through Which a
Clean of Sunlight Never Shows-A
Curious Woodland Tangle.

Curious Woodland Tangle.
While the Amazon Is The worlds
greatest river. Ii not in hngth ut least
In the volume of water which flows
through ii. it Is the worlds ST angest
river as well
The few traveller i.ad explorers who
have journeyed up this water course TO
its many sources in the glaciers of the
South American mountains tell stories
which are almost incredible about the
literal maze of streams which unite to
form 1t. each stream having its birch
In one of the great ice masses. Yet
few hundred miles below. where they
merge and create the river. the tenn
perature is such that it works its way
through a perfect labyrinth of tropical
vegetation.
Only the mariner can tell the place
where the Amazon really has its
mouth. because the opening 1t has
made on the eastern coast of South
America is so wide that 1t extends over
100 miles. long distance before one
Il.
ever. one is really sailing on the wa.
tiers of the Amazon. because they force
their way 50 far ont into the ocean
They say that 800 miles out at sea Of
the mouth of the Amazon you can
hoist a bucketful Of fresh water out
of the ocean from the deck of ship.
such Is the quantity of its water that
flows from that gigantic basin.
Long after you have entered the ac,
tual river and have its banks north
and south Of you If you are in mid.
stream you will still be out of sight OF
! land, such Is the breadth of the vast
chan The river stretches far into
the ocean and far up the country
Take n map of South America ana
look up ii place called lquitos. 1t lies
! four-tfths of the way across the con
tinent from east TO west. Yet from
! lquitos there is a fortnightly service
of ocean going steamers to Europe
which descend some 5000 miles of the
river before they reach the sea.
/ 1t is not only one branch Of the Am
azon. but many, that are thus 10 be re
! garded rs the same as ocean highways
| The southern branches Of the Amazon
are broken BY rapids along a line
/ where Il low continental shelf exists
\ Above these rapids. however. there Is
again deep water Ttus beyond The
falls Of the Madeira There are oyer
10000 miles of naTicable water au that
river and lfs branches
/ Not onl5 Sir Martin CeHaay, ba#
other travellers who have yenturel
aleng the uprer river aud It's trihuta
ries. say that here curious WaodiaB#
4 tanglc exists 70 the surface OF ths
water the suns rays seldom reach, arI
one may so many miles aIaug wat5s.
WAYS where it Is welt nigh us dark
ni@ht because ~ SKIS Is almost coHe
pletely shut uut by tae mass 81 vines
which iuterlaee fhe trees aHa ara g.
thick with leaves Deprived Of tle
sunlight. all Is dark and rank Tbs
damp air is laden with naealtulal
vapor The surface Of tile water IS
places where the current is TOO sing
gish to carry il away is covered With
scum and weed
II requires no little courage TO g
plore these businesses. for man rea
~ takes his life In his hands. so "
healthy are they. Occasionally. how
ever, one can see the upper portion 81
the forest where there is little cref
Ice in its roof of vines. Above this II
really scene of life and beauty, Birds
and butterflies and other gorgeous III
sects are dying from place tc place
flowers of hundreds of hues and shapes
are blooming from the plants attached
to tree. branch and trunk. While BIZ
low ali may be lifeless aud silent
above tie height where the mass Of
vines overshadow the river nature han
created world of brightness and aui
alton: but. as already stated. IL is al
most entirely shut out from the human