Fort Pierce news., 1910-07-08
DIGANTIC AMAZON
/ Is the Greatest as Well as the
StrangeSt OF Rivers.
ITS UPPER PART A MYSTERY.
shrouded In lmpenetrable Forests and
Vine orowths Through Which
Clean Of Sunlight Never Shows-A
Curious Woodland Tange.

Curious Woodland Tansle.
While the Amazon is the worlds
greatest river. If NOT in length AT least
IN the volume of water which flows
through il. 1t is the worlds strangest
river as well
The few travellers and 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 birth
in one OF the great ice masses. Yet a
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 II mas
made on the eastern coast Of South
America is so wide that it extends over
100 miles. A long distance before one
comes to the mouth OF the river, how
ever. one is really sailing on the wa,
tiers of the Amazon. because they force
their way so far out into the ocean
They say that $40 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
hows from that gigantic basin.
Long after you have entered the ac-
tuaI river and have its banks north
and south of you If you are in mid
stream you will still be out OF sight or
land. such is the breadth Of the vast
channel. The river stretches far into
the ocean and tar up the country,
Take a map Of South America and
look up place called lquitos. II lies
four-ffths of the way across the con
tinent from east 10 west. Yet from
1quitos there is a fortnightly service
of ocean going steamers TO Europe
which descend some 5000 miles OF the
river before they reach the sea.
IL is not only one branch Of the Am
azon. but many. that are thus TO be re-
garded as the same as ocean highways
The southern branches OF the Amazon
are broken by rapids along a line
where a low continental shelf exists
Above these rapids. however. there is
again deep water Thus beyond the
falls Of the Madeira there are over
10000 miles OF navigable water on that
river aud its branches.
Not only Sir Martin Conday. but
other travellers who have ventured
along the upper river and its Tibuta-
ries, say that here curious woodland
tangle exists To the surface Of the
water the suns rays seldom reach. and
one may go many miles along water
ways where it is well nigh as dark Us
night because the sky + almost com
pletely shut out by the mass of vines
which interlace the trees and are so
thick with leaves Deprived Of the
sunlight. all is dark and rank. The
damp air is laden with unhealthfui
yapor. The surface Of the water 10
places where the current is too slug
gish to carry it away is covered with
scum and weed
Ii requires no little courage to eX-
plore these businesses. for a man real
ly takes his life in his hands. so uu.
healthy are they. Occasionally. how
ever. one can see the upper portion OF
oh nh IL,
fee in it's roof of vines. Above this is
really a scene Of life and beauty. Birds
aud butterflies and other gorgeous in
sects are dying from place TO place;
flowers of hundreds of hues and shapes
are blooming from the plants attached
to tree, branch and trunk. While be-
low all may be lifeleSs and silent,
above the height where the mass Of
vines overshadOw the river nature has
created a world of brightness aud aui.
NATION: but. AS already stated. it is al
most entirely shut out from the human
eye.
10 attempt to break through this
canopy of vines which hide IL from the
lower world Is almost Impossible be-
cause the vines grow so thickly. but
some naturalists have penetrated IL
and say that the forests really have
two surfaces. the one above this artit-
cial roof and the one below. That
which is above is barred from human
entrance. It's inhabitants are mostly
birds and insects that are radiant with
beauty unequaled in the world.
Whatever grows in the Amazon mud
strives with desperate Internecine
struggle to reach this sky exposed sur
face and there blossoms. Beneath.
where man can walk or float all is
dark. Only here aud there htful ray
OF sunlight struggles through Orchids
blossom within this shadowy region.
Won Gan soc these bright creatures