Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-05-27

miration and regard for Colonel Ron
don and his associates who have been
my colleagues IN this work OF explora'
ton.
In the third place wish to point
out that what we have Just done was
rendered possible only by the hard
and perilous labor OF the Brazilian
telegraphic commission in the unex-
pIored western wilderness OF Matte
Crosse during the last seven years.
We have merely put the cap on the
pyramid OF which they had previously
laid deep and broad the foundations.
We have had a hard and somewhat
dangerous but very successful trip. No
less than six weeks were spent in slow
ly and with peril and exhausting labor
forcing our way down through what
seemed q literally endless succession
OF rapids and cataracts.
For As days we saw no human being.
In passing these rapids we lost five
OF the seven canoes with which we
started and had to build others.
One Of Best Men Lost.
One of our best men lost his life
IN the rapids. Under the strain one
OF the men went completely mad.
shirked all his work. stole his COM
rades' food and when punished by
the sergeant he, with cold-blooded
elaboration, murdered the sergeant
and fed into the wilderness.
Colonel Rondon's dog. running
ahead of him while hunting, was shot
by two Indians; by his death he in
all probability saved the life Of his
master.
We have put on the map a river
about 1900 kilometers (937 miles) in
length. running from Just south of the
thirteenth degree to north of the fifth
degree, and the biggest affluent OF the
Madeira Until now its upper course
has been utterly unknown to every
one, and its lower course. although
known for years to the rubber men.
utterly unknown to all photographers.
Its source is between the twelfth and
parallels OF latitude south, |
and between longitude SO degree and
Ion gitude go degrees west from Green |
witch.
We embarked on It about at lati- |
tude ~ degrees j minute south and |
longitude 60 degrees IS west. After |
that its entire course was between the
60th and 61st degree of longitude, ap-
preaching the latter most closely about |
in latitude degrees Is minutes
Rapids Found Dangerous.
The first rapids were at Navarite
in II degrees II minutes. and after
that they were continuous and very
difficult and dangerous until the rapids
named after the murdered sergeant,
in IL degrees IL minutes. At
IL degrees % minutes 1t received the
Rio Kermit from the left. At IL de-
yrees % minutes the Marciano Avila
entered IT from the right At II de-
yrees IS minutes the Taunay entered
rom the left. At 10 degrees 50 min
ties the Cordozo entered from the
light At 10 degrees "a minutes we
the first rubber man.
The Rio Branco entered from the
eft at 9 degrees 80 minutes. We
at degrees 40 minutes, or ap-
the boundary line be-
ween the Matte Grooso and Amazonas.
rhe confluence with the Arpuana.
which entered from the left. was in z
legrees "a minutes. The mouth where a.,
{ entered the Madeira was in 5 de-
,rees 80 minutes. The stream we have ,
ollowed down is that which rises ,,
arthest away from the mouth and its
General course is almost due north.
My dear sir, l thank you from my :
leart for the chance to take part in
his great work OF exploration.
With high regard and respect, be-
ieve me
Very sincerely yours.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.