The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-08

double row of heavy guards ABOVE
tho water line.
DIR. Rice is taking with him an elab-
crate outfit of. fishing tackle and
fine assortment OF firearms. The lat
ter he expects to use almost exclu-
sively for game, which abounds in
the Amazon Jungle. The natives as
rule have few firearms. The Ama-
zonas are permitted only shotguns. II
any white man finds an Indian with
an instrument of precision" as the
Portuguese call the rife. law and GUS
tom permit the white man TO confis
cate it
But as a rule DR.. Rice says that the
natives are peaceable. He expresses
some fear that the rubber exploters
who are now working the far upper
reaches OF the river may spoil the ma
tives by oppression. The Brazilian
Government mostly leaves them alone.
Many Of them do not even speak Por-
tuguese or any language but that of
their own tribe. Their highly devel-
oped family and tribal life and their
Discrimination to travel make them
one OF the most distinctive OF the alb
origine races. There has been prac-
ticallv no admiXture of other blood
among them.
The first need for the country, says
Dr. Rice. is schools for the natives,
and the second is an enlightened
commercial development. The vast
stretches OF the Amazon and its tribu-
taries are dotted with trading posts,
and Manaos itself is a very consid
AAt
these two towns are primeval jungle,
with only the scattered villages and
clearings OF the natives, to which the
itinerant trading vessels come 10 pick
up their cargoes of rubber and woods.
Old Notions DispcIIed.
II comes as a shock to most persons
in these United States when they are
told that Brazil is larger in extent than
the continental confines OF their own
country. Even with that fact brought
home, most North Americans prompt
~ say;
Well. you've got to take out of
Brazil the whole of the Amazon basin
which is useless"
Most OF us have an idea descended
from Fryes geography or some other
estimable classic of the schoolroonl
that 1t consists wholly OF naked brown
ladies' and gentlemen living in huts
on stills over distinctly repulsive
water filled with allisators and be-
tween the branches Of frightfully
gloomy trees decorated alternately
with enormous snakes and Baskt de-
signed birds.
1t is 10 dispcl or correct this pop
ular idea that DIR. Rice is going &c
the AmaZons. Far from shatterins
romance. he is building one OF even
greater charm. For since the days OF
the first Jesuits in the eighteenth cen
fury little or nothing has been learned
OF much OF this country, and practically
nothing has been done with it unit
the automobile stimulated the demand
for rubber. 1t is the last remaining
| terra incognita that is worth knowing
anything about. Or. Rice believes
that some day it will support a splen'
did empire.
The Brazilian. Venezuelan and Co
! lombian Governments share his opin-
! ion, and while they have done little
| themselves to explore the interior
since the rich coastal regions afford
them so much OF this worlds advan-
tages, they do everything to cooperate
| with such explorers as DR.. Rice. Their
| agents are stationed at various points
along the rivers and previous expedi-
| lions have found them ever really &c
| forward negotiations with the natives
or to perform any other possible ser
| vice.
DR.. Rice once attained some noto-
riety by challenging the discovery Of
| the famous River Of Doubt by Tho
late Col. Roosevelt Later however
, he apoloGized to the eX President foi
| what he had said and for the deduc
tions that had been drawn from hi:
remarks. In letter from London
whittier he had gone for the bestowa
Of the Royal Geographical Society:
medal at the time, DR.. Rice highly
complimented his brother explorer OF
the extraordinary interest OF the mar
rative OF his trip. Col. Roosevelt
worked to the south OF the Amazon
descending into its valley from Argen
tina, while Or. Rice's work has usual,
laid To the north.
DIR. Rice stated that Col Roosevelt
work WAS of great value, but still
deprecates the inaccuracy Of some n
the map making observations. or laCl
OF observations, as he has done with
other persons who have attempted I,
map this region with an inadequat,
scientific knowledge and euuipme nj
on his last trip he attempted to fol
low map made by one OF his French