The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-05-27

the map river OF which there was
no knowledge ana which IL not shown
on any existing map. It Is not oven
about the sixe Of the Elba or the
Hn1ne, OF which the upper courses Of
the navigable portion have never be-
FORE been traversed by any civilized
man. or which the lower portion had
men but of which no topographer had
the fatntest idea of the existence and
OF which not trace Is to be found on
any existing map.
we descended in the neighborhood
OF q thousand feet all told from the
river.
1T has been suggested that this was
not e river. but represented floods in
the forest. Floods do not stand at an
angle of descent of q thousand feet
ana they do not extend to cover a dis
stance Of from 900 to 1000 miles.
Inc length Of the river we cannot
give accurately. We computed it by
l.5O0 kilometers. 1 should say 800.
$50 or possibly q thousand miles. It
runs between nearly the thirteenth
and fifth parallels Of latitude. That
degrees Of lati n1%I seS OF course that naa
Is about doubled by the curves. As
you Will see IL you turn to the map OF
europe that is q distance considerably
longer than the Seine and Rhone COM
D1neo. AS far as 1 can see, allowing
Tor the slant OF the curves, about as
long as the Rhine or the Elba-
Rapids Prevent Navigation.
Excepting for the hundred miles
or loo miles from the mouth 1t Is not
navfEable for steamboats,, because it
1s SO broken by rapids and such a
very swift river. but it is navigable
Tor launches and canoes from that
part near the fifth degree up to above
the tenth degree of latitude. There
are rapids. and serious ones, to pass,
out they can be perfectly negotiated.
we lost five cal-oes in the rapids
THESE. One man was drowned in the
RAPIDS There were several other
narrow escapes from drowning and,
under the strain. which was very
great, one of the men went mentally
bad and murdered another and then
fled into the wilderness. Then we
came out of the last succession OF
rapids. having been gone 46 days. We
struck a long stretch of smooth wa
Ter. The river was very broad and
Dig In that part, and after two days
more we struck the uppermost camp
or house Of any Of the rubber men.
He Challenges Critics.
me colonel had appeared before q
Washington audience on a previous
occasion as an explorer, but never as
q AAo~Ov % Oh anu ne WAS CuG0T0Q loud
~ as he declared that the cartograph-
ers and geographers of all nations
were wrong In their maps Of the wilds
OF Brazil, wherein he found and traced
the Duvida river" or as now more ia
miliarly known, the River of Doubt u
Scientists. the. colonel declared, had
attempted to dispute his discovery
Tracing on a blackboard with piece
Of chalk. the river Of his finding, he
declared emphatically:
!, Il say we put It on the map,' and ]
mean what say. No map has ever
yet shown this, river. Scientists have
said we might have traversed the river
Tapajoz or the river Madeira, but the
fact il that some, of our party went
down one river and some went dowr
the other. while we went down a river
between them which no map maker
ever saw. I can direct any man where
to find this river. and rivers stay put
SO that the discovery we have made
The colonel described ii, detail thu
, hardships of his trip into the Brazilian
wilds. and particularly the hardship.
endured in navigating the River Of
, Doubt. In the upper part7of the river
/ 1t required AZ days for the party tt
traverse one degree from HAS soutl
| to 10:45 south. During that hazardous
trip they lost nearly all their food and
belongings.
I'VE were forced to eat monkeys t,
exc out our rations:" declared the col
lionel. Don't shudder, for assure
? tyou that after this experience 20,
might leave me in the monkey hous
without making any mistake"
There were many Indians in the up
, tper reaches Of the Duvida, the colone
t said.
? -,ss asRa-saRA A1AAAU