The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1910-06-23
GIGANTIC AMAZON.
II Is the Greatest az Well as .the
Stranaest OF River.

greatest river, II not In length at least
In the volume of water which flows
through it, 1t is the worlds strangest
river as well.
'rhe few travellers and explorers who
have iourneyed 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 it, 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 temperature is such that
IL works its. way through perfect
labyrinth of tropical vegetation.
Only the mariner can tel the place
where the Amazon really has its
mouth, because the opening it has
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,
however, one is really sailing on the
waters Of the Amazon. because they
force their way so far out into the
ocean. They say that 300 miles out az
rea of the mouth Of the Amazon you
can hoist bucketful of fresh water
out of the ocean from the deck OF
a 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 stiI be out of sight Of
land. such Is the breadth or the vast
channel. The river stretches far into
the OCEAN and far up the country
Take a map of South America and
look up place called Iquitos II lies
fourfifths Of the way across the con
tinent from east to west. Yet frou
Iquitos there is fortnightly servic;
of ocean-going steamers to Europ.
which descend some 5000 miles OF thu
river before they reach the sea.
1t Is not only one branch OF tn
Amazon. but many, that are thus (,
be regarded as the same as oceai
highways. The southern branches o
the Amazon are broken by rapid
along a line where low continental
shelf exists. Above these rapids
however. there is again deep water
Thus beyond the falls OF the Madeiri
there are over 10000 miles of navigs
BILE water on that river and il
branches.
Not only Sir Martin cenday. bu
other travellers who have venture
along the upper river and It's tribute
ries, say that here curious woodlan
tangle exists. To the surface Of III
water the suns rays seldom reach. an
one may go many miles along watel
ways where 1t is well nigh as dark a
night because the sky Is almost con
lpletely shut out by the mass OF vine
which interlace the trees and are s
thick with leaves. Deprived Of th
sunlight. all is dark and rank. Th
damp air Is laden with unheasthf,
vapor. The surface OF the water !
places where the current Is too stron
gish to carry Il away is covered wit
. scum and weed.
II requires no little courage TO e,
plore these Businesses. for a man rea
ly takes his life In his hands. so III
healthy are they. Occasionally, hoy
ever. one can see the upper portion
The forest where there Is a little Gre
ice in It's roof OF vines. Above this
2 really scene of life and beauty. Bird
and butterflies and other gorgeous &
scots are flying from place to place
flowers a hundreds OF hues and shape
:. are blooming from the plants attache
10 tree. branch and trunk. While b
2 low all many be lIfe'ess and silen
, above the height where the mass
! vines oyershadov the river nature hi
: created world OF brightness and ar
4 nation: but. as already stated, Il Is .
Z most entirely shut out from the h
y man eye.
o To attempt TO break through IN
\ canopy OF vines which hides II fro
l. the lower world is almost impossib
L because the vines grown so thick. b
; some naturalists have penetrated
and say that the forests really ha'
, 1.-TWO surfaces, the one above this arti
r cial roof and the one below. Tn
3 which Is above Is barred from hunt
n entrance. Its inhabitants are most
!. birds and insects that are radiant wi
beauty unequaled in the world.
Whatever grows In the Amazon mi
n strives with desperate interneci
a struggle 10 reach this sky exposed 81
n face and there blossoms. Beneat
Il where man can walk or noat, all
n dark. Only here and there itful r
Ie Of sunlight struggles through. orchi
= blossom within this shadowy region.
You can see these bright creatur
a ftfully in the cavern below, but not
q all their glory, as they must beho
" lone another above. sometimes as tn
!. m about beneath they will chance
e cross a sunbeam slanting through
u hoe In the vegetation: then for an
Is slant they fash into view like an
Al plosion Of burning color. II Is IN
,e that the great butterflies are seen
DR. the best effect. No one can imasi
ie what a picture they produce In tn