The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1914-03-30

UneSpIoreu HINer-heSume OF Ftnai
Stage of Journey Against Great
Odds, Which Colonel Expected to
Complete In April.
News from Anthony Fiala, the arc
tic explorer, that the Roosevelt South
American expedition, of which be is a
member, has lost Its equipment may
interfere with Colonel Roosevelt's in
tentlon to complete his trip in April.
The former president sailed for
South America on Oct. 4, after having
received a hearty sendof the night be
fore from more than 1900 persons In
New York.
He spent several weeks In the Argen-
tine Republic in November and De-
cember, travelling more than 5000
miles through that country by every
conceivable means of transportation
except s%eroplane. In December the
party started from Buenos Aires by
slow stages up the Parana and Para
quay rivers.
ColoneI's Letter Tells Plans.
The last letter to be received by the
American Museum OF Natural History
from Colonel Roosevelt was dated Jan.
16 from Taplrapoan, in Matte Crosse,
a large province In the south central
part Of Brazil. This letter was re-
ceived by Frank NJ. Chapman, curator
OF birds In the American museum.
Colonel Roosevelt stated that the
party expected to reach the headwa-
ters of an UNEMPLOYED river In a month
or six weeks and hat he expected to
go down this. taking with him his son,
Kermit; Anthony Fiala and George X.
Cherrie, a representative of the mu-
scum. He also wrote that this explor-
ing party would be accompanied down
the river by Colonel Rondon and other
Brazilian members of the party.
No mention was made of the name
OF this unexplored river. but in anoth.
err letter to his family the colonel had
referred to this river as the Rio Duiv-
alta or the River of Doubt. The head
waters of this river are at Matte eros
so, between the Madeira and Tapajos
rivers, two large streams that flow
northward TO the Amazon.
The Roosevelt party reached Corum,
ba, in Brazil. OF the upper Paraguay
river, on Dec. ID. A little north OF
The headwaters of the Paraguay riv.
er are in the plateau hat extends into
Matte Crosse. The sources OF rivers
that run southwark to join the Rio
de la Plata are sometimes within a
few miles of the streams that flow
down the north side of the plateau
and become tributaries of the Amazon
BY Horseback Five Hundred Miles.
From the headwaters of the Para,
quay 1t is a journey of 500 miles by
horseback to the headwaters Of the
River of Doubt. These headwaters are
on a great plateau, between 5000 and
1000 feet above sea level. From there
the rivers drop abruptly to the floor
of the Amazon, making navigation ex,
c~eptionally dangerous because of the
numerous rapids and waterfalls. The
Madeira and the Tapajos both contain
great waterfalls. among them being
some of the greatest In South America.
IL not In the world. The river between
those two streams. In which 1t is
thought that the Roosevelt party lost
everything" Is believed to have equal
ly dangerous rapids and falls.
On March ID a message was receiv-
ed In Rio Janeiro from Colonel Ron
don stating that the party, after a 500
mile journey on horseback, had reach
ed Barao de Malgato. He said no
savages had been met and that Colo
mel Roosevelt was in good health. Ba-
rao de Malgato is on the border be-
tween the states Of Matte Crosse and
Amazonas and Is "a the headwaters
of two rivers, the Commencement Flo
riano and Gyparana. which flow into
the upper Madeira.
The Madeira river joins the Amazon
some distance below Manaos, the first
city which the party had expected to
encounter ON their arrival In civiliza-
ton. Santarem, whence Mr.. Fiala sent
his message, is several hundred miles
below Manaos.