Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-02-28
A Trip to Venezuela and
Brazil-By Myrtle Clark

May Is. 1918 I and some other girls
started to visit some countries of South
America. At $3.50 in the morning we
We're at Farson, Iowa, and got on the
train, then went to Ottumwa at I: 80 and
remained there till a boat came. Then
got on a bot and went down the Des
Moines river
/ came to the great Mississippi river
at keokuk. Then went to Quincy and
Hannibal.
After that we passed on down to ST.
LOUIS. we got off the little boat and on
the ferryboat
then came to East st. Louis and on
time. The boat which we were in came
nearly running into a sand bar.
All OF us girls cried but another boat
came and rescued us. and how glad we
We're to be on dry land
Inen We came by town at Cairo
Then sailed down to where the Missis-
slppi and Ohio rivers come together
| next came to Memphis, Tenn. Then
slppi state. Then we came to Vicksburg
and visited my uncle and aunt. Then
we went on down to Natchez. Then we
passed that town and on down to
Plaquemine Then we passed on down
to Donaldsonville. .-
we passed that town and after while
came to the last town on the M ississippi
river which is New Orleans. We stop
pea three or four days to see the sights.
New Orleans is the, largest city and
greatest cotton market of the south.
still 1t is really a seaport .
Besides cotton the city sends out
many articles down the river from the
upper Mississippi valley, and it trades
much OF the rice and sugar which it
raised in the lowlands of the MISSISSIPPI
pi delta.
1t consists of an old American part
and was settled by the French Many
people of French descent still live there
and speak the French language.
Ihen | started across the gulf Of
Mexico down to South America
we crossed the gulf of Mxecio and
thought we would go around to the
nearest town, so we went down and
around to Lake Maracaibo and landed
at Morcaibo City.
We had been on water so long that
we were very glad to be on dry land
again.
: We were afraid of the people but
they We're very friendly and soon made
us feel at home. &c.
We stayed there two or three dave
viewing the sights
Many years ago a Spanish sailor
found the city Of Mara Caibo in Lake
Maracaibo.
The city's houses were built out in
the water on posts. .....
linen we went to the capital of Ven
ezuela which is Caracas
We remained there but two days.
Then we went entirely away from Ven
ezuela. =
| next visited Brazil. Brazilis about
as large as the United States About
one-third Of the people of South Amer
lea live in Brazil.
BarziI exports rubber, cotton, sugar.
TOBACCO and cocoa. but it is noted for
its coffee. First we visited Rio de
Janeiro which means river Of January.
1T is the capital and largest city Of
Brazil and it is named after a little
river on which it is situated
The river was discovered one day in
January. Most Of the coffee from Rio
de Janeiro comes to the United States.
Next we visited city called Santos,
Much coffee is shipped to our country
from this port
Pernambuco is the next town we Wis
TIED. There are sugar plantations in this
region
Next we visited Bahia where sugar
and tobacco are it's chief exports.
Rubber comes from Brazil. 1t is gath
cred by the Indians in the swampy for
est.
Para is the next town we visited.
Next all the rubber is sent from Para
to the United States and Europe where
| 1T Is used for wheel tires, car springs
and overshoes
Manaos is the largest town in the in
terror Of Brazil.
Myrtle Clark, age 10,
Hedrick, Iowa. R. NO. l.