The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-17
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l Paraguay arrangements were already made and they were met by q perfectly equipped pack train of IS mules and the required saddle animals for their trip across the range to Matto Crosse. They were also accompanied by an honorary escort of about 50 Brazilian soldiers, also
 mounted, as a courtesy from the republic of Brazil not as a guard, as the trail to Matto Crosse is a constantly travelled route, requiring four days to traverse with various small settlements along the route
 The Madeira -Mamore railway is one of the most interesting of modern engineer Ing successes, having been constructed by American engineers and contractors, after two previous attempts that failed and
 was constructed in order to pass a sys- tenn of 19 waterfalls in the Madeira river thereby connecting the navigation of the Amazon river with the upper steamboat navigation of the rivers Mamore Beni
 and Itinez. The deadly and unknown levers in that district caused the two first failures. and the success of the final ad-
 ministration was due to the fact that
 they adopted the methods of the canal commission of Panama, by putting all,
 camps and towns in a perfect sanitary
 condition, and for this reason the medi- cal department is due as much credit as tie actual constructors.
 Former Inland Sea
 We will leave the Roosevelt party at
 manaos, return to the south and get
 at the actual facts in the enormous basin. CT the Rio Paraguay, which many scien-
 lists believe was formerly large inland
 sea.
 Ascer>Iing the Rio Parana to the north
 T1,n an idea of getting across into Anna
 zoh river drainage would mean the bury
 ing or oneself in an unknown and impene-' traple Jungle Tor months. travelling afoots ana cuttng the necessary trail, with no' assurance that an outlet would be en- countered to the Amazon until actually arrlVlng at the actual river Amazon
 The Parana river is navigable only to point 26 miles below the greatest water power known to the world. named Sete Quedas,' which is Portu- Suese and meaning seven falls and which is not the waterfall mentioned In The Age-Herald article, this re- ferring to the Salto Santa Maria in the RIO lguassu, the boundary between Argentina and Brazil. Santa Maria ranks third in the worlds water now CTS, Niagara being fourth with Zam- bezi second
 santa Maria is in truth a beautiful work of nature, not having been en- croached upon by man, there not be- ing a human habitation within 100 miles of the falls, though frequently excursion steamers run up to within short distance of the falls with sight. seers' The river Itself is about three quarters of a mile in width with n sheer drop of over 200 feet in the prin- cipal fall
 The Sete Quedas, which Is above the mouth of the Rio Iguassu. in tbe Rio Parana is an entirely different class or waterfall and is just what its name. states There are no high falls, but for distance of about four miles the river is continuation of rapids and at the lower end of this stretch if is neither waterfall nor rapids, but more of .an incline or chute, the water thel principal branch of which Is HOO miles long. plunging down through seven different openings in solid rock walls and opening out into broad and quiet stream the Lower Parana
 The line of little mail steamers man tioned in the article as leaving Asun- cion twice a month for Cuyaba. has developed into a tri-weekly line of large passenger steamers and ocean going vessels from Brazilian Atlantic ports, the passenger steamers coming direct from Buenos Aires and Monte- video, though these boats only come as far as Corumba and hero the smaller steamers ascend the river Paraguay as far as Cuyaba. the capital of the state of Matto Crosse lmeaning thick woods).
 I am afraid anyone attempting a portage from the Pilcomayo to the Amazon headwaters would spend the greater part of their lives In tho jun gle, as the nearest point between nav igable waters of the two rivers Is distance of $40 miles in straight line and this stretch Is traversed by two mountain ranges, ono of which is plainly visible to the north from the town of Santiago Bolivia, which town Is located practically on the top of the southerly range at an elevation of 600 meters G960 feet) above sea level and 510 meters (1870 feet) above the Gran ,Chao, the broad. flat plane stretching away to the south in the direction of the Pilcomayo
 Swamps, Rapids and Waterfalls
 The lower Pilcomayo Is not navig- able for canoes for more than few miles and above this 1t entirely loses Itself in enormous swamps while still further up In the foothills of the Andes Is succession of rapids and waterfalls. There are stretches where one can use canoes but with neither upper nor lower outlet and it is here that encountered the Noctene, Pill comayo. Mataco, Pelago and Tapietf Indians and the accompanying photo Erapns will show how savage they are. The cause of these Indians being so oecorously clothed is due entirely to our arrival in their camp.
 Tne Gran Chaco. also visible as far as the eye can reach from Santiago. IS an absolutely unexplored territory. inhabited by savage Indians, though not the class of Indians that North 4merica produces. these Indians being apJect cowards. never attacking more tnnn one man, and not even attacking one 1T he ts armed with a rifle, the winchester .44-calibre being the pop uiar arm through this section, and car llef Of the Indiana is that the white man hAs harnessed the thunder and lightning and maker 1t strike whore