The Perrysburg journal. [volume], April 15, 1854, Page 45, Image 5

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THE PERRYSBURG JOURNAL.
45
The Amazon and its Tributaries.
This is eminently an age of conquest.
We mean not the achievements of war, but
ihe triumphs of science, navigation, skill
iuid civilization. And as an arena for these
glorious exertions, a world aye, literally a
new world is, we confidently hope, about to
be opened to American speculation and en
terprise. We refer to the river Amazon
its vast and teeming valley its giant arms;
in the form of tributary streams, many as
great as itself, and all the fertile regions!
which they water. Seldom have we perused
work of travel with more deliht, than!
Lieut, llerndon's Report of his exploration of
the Valley of the Amazon, made under the
direction ot the United States Navy depart
u ie 11 t.
present interesting and gratify
boundless prospect of the future is opened,
the uealth, industry and end of which no man
can foresee. Visions of greatness in com
merce, tropical agriculture, mining, steam
boat building, lumber of the rarest kinds,
gums, apices, medicines, gold and silver,
involuntarily arise before the imagination,
even with the indifferent though contempla
tive readers who examine the subject. And
such visions are the more agreeably indulg
ed, because mingled with them, there is no
coveting by annexation or otherwise, the
land or property of our South American
neighbors, but only a desire is cherished,
that the Amazon and its tributaries shall be
thrown five to American and European en
terprise. In no other way can their im
mense resources !) opened. So impressed,
Not only is the information of the
r .
d gratifying, but
indeed, were and are the novernments ofi
Peru and Brazil with this fact that they not!
only granted passports and everv facility to
Lieutenants llermlon and Gibbon, (the lat-
ter gentleman took a different route from the'8"
furmer, and has not yet reported,) but seemed
to take a deep interest in the success of the
exploration, the suggestions that would be
sure to follow it, and finally, it is believed,
in the results of steamboat traffic, settle
ments, plantations, and towns. Landing at
Callao, in the United States ship Vandalia,
and proceeding to Lima, we ascended with
Lieutenant Herndon to the summit of the
Corderilleras, through wild and mountain
scenes, marking every successive elevation;
by the barometer or the boiling point, until
at no greater distance than sixty miles from
the sea, we cross the great "divide," which
wparaiM tne waters ot tne Atlantic irom
those of the Pacific Ocean. And here we
n .... , . .
ian.se 10 reueci uiai wnue Deiween Hie Andes t
1
wwi :mtt win m u lnt a nort-mK K ! 4 if
T , i Vi i.i V i . : r
land-all the wealth and broad extent of
oouth America, for thousands of miles, lie
these same Andes and the Atlantic
TT ?";? ,'!,VMit a '7S cf the, mn'
... . , 1JO i,.lttt -um
V- VC , "'
ic jxuLiAim. . imon wiiaieieva-
rSlul,m , , ,B iiiounwin
arw, Ul .midlUlllMH, IIUUC WIIIU11 CVPn All)
upon Alp is piled, though the Pass itself is
16,199 feet above the sea about 1,000 feet
higher than Mount Blanc, in Switzerland.
And yet the way across is not as difficult as
the Swiss Passes of the Simplon or St. Ber
nard. Snow, icy cliffs, barren peaks, fearful
j treci pices are everywhere around, while the
clear and rarified atmosphere produces some
difficulty in respiration. The small towns
and settlements that are passed, and where
our travelers were on all occasions received
with kindness, were inhabited almost exclu
sively by Peruvian miners. Silver ore is
abundant, but the process and machinery for
extracting the metal are described bv Lieut.
11. as so primitive and imperfect, that
should ever the rich beds in the hills be oper-1
atedupon by the modern inventions in steam
and machinery, the yield will be abundant
and thus the treasures in the bowels of the
Andes are destined to enrich some future
generation. Many of the mountain streams
bring down their golden sands, showing that
there are 6torcs of that metal in the volcanic
, masses of rock. Silver is the chief mineral,
yet there are also copper, quicksilver and
lead. But our own California is so familiar
to every one, that it will hardly be necessa
ry here to describe particularly a mining re
gion, of the Andes. We have therefore re
ferred to it very briefly, but ought not to
leave the subject without eaying that in the
interior and unexplored parts of Brazil and
Peru, east of the Andes, it has been thought
for more than two centuries, that the richest
mines of gold and gems in the world are to
be found. Steam power on the Amazon and
its tributaries would 6oon throw these open
to mankind. The savages of those regions
but seldom see the white man, and they are
jealous of him, and even of his Indian allies
as theX had the treasures to guard that
are so ardently coveted by civilization.
Traveling from Lima, which is only 476
miles above the sea; we ascend gradu
a a' for forty rriles, and then rapidly for
twenty or thirty miles more. We then de
scend the eastern slope to San Ramon, which
is 2,953 feet above the Atlantic and thus
tne mountain region extends lor about 187
. t mi . i i .
a!mups. inence, partly Dy canoe navigation,
to lingo JUaria, about one hundred and lilty
miles further. This town or post is located
on the Rio lluallaga, contains a population
of only one hundred and forty-eight souls, is
delightfully embosomed in a valley with a
river in front and a screen of lofty moun
tains behind. The productions of the coun
try are sugar, rice, cotton, tobacco, indigo,
maize, sweet potatoes, &c. The woods are
alive with parrots, monkeys, wild turkeys,
wild ducks, rattlesnakes, and all kinds of
serpents the foliage is rich and varied, here
and there vivid with flowers while the
puma or American lion roams amid the
forest glades. Here, it may be said, the
valley of the Amazon, along one of its main
tributaries, begins, and here for a time, we
will leave Lieutenant Herndon and his
greatness yet to come.
Pa ""'. preparing to descend the ever-flowing
waters to the estuary of the Amazon a
voyage of many a weary month, through
niay a beauteous and many a wild scene
suggestive ul national and commercial
The London Fire Brigade.
A correspondent of the N. Y. Enquirer
gives an interesting history of the Fire De
partment in London, from which the follow
ing particulars are gathered:
The present organization was established
in 1853, and so perfect is the arrangement,
rinnl,i..lfi c:v, mS M : f '
f fi j estimated at upward s of 458,
nnn nnn ' .: t.. ,
ui mc wines mat numoer oi aoi-
inrs . a,1ri i,11u flMa . .. ,
u. , uuu iiiuiigu nao me 11UI1JL1UU5, blllll
ence, is protected by 109 firemen, and 53
: Tl- I. - J? T r . i
engine, me vaiue oi nouses, lumnure anu
merchandize in London, subject to fherava-
tensive and sweeping conflagrations as
(lesolate our large cftiel are comparatively
very rare. TheSuperintendent o the Bri
lKtween Lade says their suces3 in conqueri the
Element imilts from their concentrated
uuuielforts to prevent its
buildings, rather than t
tinguish it in the
gained the mastery;
( ,, r,f t, TtWa,!
district
pread into adjoining
rom attempts to ex-
houses where it has once
and thinks that the
States do not realize
that in their eagerness to preserve a large
building which cannot be saved, they ex
pend an immense amount of energy and
time and water to no purpose. The first
object should be to confine the flames to the
place of their origin by playing upon sur
rounding buildings ; prevent the possibility
of their spreading, and then extinguish them
if possible.
The Brigade, as now organized, consists
of one Superintendent and fourteen foremen,
each being appointed to a district which he
never leaves, except on some pressing occa
sion, and who, in the absence of the Super
intendent, has the sole command of all en
gines or firemen who may come within the
There are 12 engineers who get about $7
per week each, and a free house ; seven sub
engineers at $6.50 per week 32 senior fire
men at 8639 junior firemen at $5, and 14
drivers, who, with the horses to draw the
engines, are hired from the cab proprietors by
the year. These men live at the several
stations, are clothed by the committee, and
are always ready when required. Their
uniform is serviceable and plain. Only four
firemen and one driver go with an. engine
when sent to a fire ; the hose is carried on
the engine, the men ride upon it, and drive
at a furious rate, without ' bells or horns,
everything, as if by mutual consent making
way for the Brigade. At the fire the levers
are manned by the bystanders, each of those
working being paid one shilling for the first,
and six pence for every succeeding hour,
besides refreshments. The foreman of each
district makes a minute, daily report of the
fires in his depaatment to the chief in office,
these are embodied in another made by the
Superintendent, and forwarded to each of
the Insurance Unices with which the Brigade
is connected.
Each constable who discovers a fire with
out having his attention called to it by an
other person, receive $2.50 from the Bri
gade. This causes vigilance, and upwards
of 4,000 men are on the watch all night for
fires. The men who arrived with the first
engine receive 30 shillings, the second 20
shillings, and the third 10 shillings 10 shil
lings are also given to the first man who
turns on water.
On the Thames are floating engines for the
protection of property on the wharves and
docks, and along the river side. The entire
annual expense of the Brigade is said not to
exceed 30,000 dollars.
The Garden.
April come, and not a moment is to
be lost in preparing the garden. No good
farmer will deprive himself and his family
of the advantages and comforts of a good
garden. A plenty of vegetables, besides be
ing a luxury to tempt the fastidious palate
of the epicure, is a matter to be thought of
on the score of economy. And a little time
and labor, judiciously bestowed, will secure
to a family a full supply.
While referring to this subject, we will
venture to suggest that a garden laid out in
good taste, writh suitable walks, and some
regard to straight lines, is much more easily
tended, than one conducted on the haphaz
ard principle. Such vegetables as are sown
in drills can be kept free from weeds with
very little trouble, especially if the proper
kind of implements are used.
Onions from the small seed a profitable
crop by the way, even for field culture can
be cultivated with very little more labor
than would be required for potatoes.
For peas we can recommend the dwarf
kinds, as they save the trouble of procuring
brush. As a substitute for the common bean
poles, drop a kernel or two of corn in the
center of each hill, and those unsightly ob
jects may be dispensed with.
In planting cucumbers and melons, dig a
hole for each hill, large enough to receive
two or three shovels-full of strong manure
cover it to the depth of an inch or two with
earth then drop the seed and cover it about
an inch. The striped bug will not be likely
to trouble you.
Ashes are a solvent for Bones. Bones
are a valuable manure and should be regu
larly thrown into a pile on every farm. But
how, asks the farmer and gardner, are they
to be dissolved and used T We will tell
you. Bones, if placed in a pile and covered
with wood ashes, the ashes of fossil coal,
leached ashes, or common sand, and left ex
posed to the rain and atmosphere will soon
crumble into powder. This manure is worth
about as much as Guano. Test the matter
for yourselves.
Western Enterprise. We notice that the
Pioneer and the Democrat, published at St.
Paul, Minnesota, have both determined to
issue daily papers on the first of May. Both
of them are capital papers, and we wish
them abundant success. In June, 1850, we
visited St. Paul, and it was then a' small
town some two years old. To require at
this time two daily papers, shows great and
permanent progress in wealth and popula
tion, as well as commendable enterprise on
the part of the publishers. Chicago Press.
John Mitchell and the Irish. The Cit
izen publishes editorially what it calls " A
letter to the survivors of the Irish in Ireland
under forty vears of age; signed by John
Mitchell." the pith of this letter is, that
all patriotic Irishmen ought to withhold their
sympathies from Great Britain in the war
with Russia ; that if Austria and Prussia
range themselves against the red cross of St.
George,' irishmen ought to pray for the suc
cess of their arms.
Postage. Messrs. Jones of Tennessee and
Houston of Alabama, in the House of Rep
resentatives yesterday, declared themselves
in favor of raising tne rales of Postage, be
cause the Post-Office Department now costs
more than it produces. The answer was
prompt and conclusive : The conveyance of
letters and documents under frank, alone,
costs the whole of this excess, if not more.
Abolish the franking privilege, and the De
partment will instantly pay its way. That,
however, does not suit Messrs. Jones and
Houston. They prefer to pay nothing for
their own letters and for sending their stupid
speeches about the country, and to tax every
hard-working man to cover the expense.
Of course these gentlemen both belong to
the slave-driving Democracy. If they could
only get slavery into Nebraska and stop-the
circulation of letters and newspapers in the
free States, they would probably regard the
country as safe. Shall they be gratified ?
N. Y. Tribune.
Earthquake in Calabria. The English
newspapers do not sustain the telegraphic
report as to the extent of the loss of life by
the earthquake at Calabria. A Naples letter
states the number of lives lost at 2000. An
other account, purporting to be the latest,
states that the loss of life was calculated at
upwards of 3000. There was, it seems, a
succession of earthquakes. At Cosenza, the
capital of Calabria Cilra, the castle is said
to have been destroyed, and all the garrison
buried in the ruins. Cosenza is situate about
12 miles from the Mediterranean, on the mar
gin of a valley surrounded by hills, at the
confluence of the Citra and Busento rivers,
the latter passing directly through the town.
The castle mentioned as having been des
troyed, was an old castle which had been
converted into barracks. It crowned the
summit of one of the hills. The city has
suffered much from earthquakes, particularly
those of 1658 and 1783. Boston Traveler.
I , , ,. ,-,
The California Filibusters. The U. S.
sloop of war Portsmouth was sent by our
government to the Pacific to suppress the
fillibustering expedition of" President Walk
er," in Lower California. Late letters have
been received in which it is stated that the
ship arrived at Ensinada, at which place
Walker and his band had their head quar
ters. Instead of attempting to prevent their
foray upon the peaceable inhabitants of Cal
ifornia, the officers of the ship waited upon
Walker, to whom they were introduced bv
his adjutant general, and " dined with him
on the most friendly terms ;" and this is the.
last news we have concerning them. This
is certainly a new way of treating out-laws
and pirates. .
Improve your own Stock. It should be
remembered that all the superior varieties of
cattle and sheep, for which we are paying
the English breeders such enormous prices,
are the result of proper crosses upon the once
inferior stock of that and other countries,
and there is no reason why the American
farmer cannot make still greater improve
ments on our present stock, with a more
perfect adaptation to our climate. Wool
Grower.
At a late trial, the defendant, who was not
familiar with the multitude of words which
the law employs to make a trifling charge,
after listening awhile1 to the reading of the
indictment, jumped up and said, " them "ere
allegations is false, and that 'ere alligator
knows it !''
We remember being at a conference meet
ing once, in Yankee land, ' when one of the
deacons came asking the people if they want
ed salvation. Near me sat a butcher bov of
19 years old, about as amenable to salvation
as a lamb in his hands would have been to
mercy.
' " Do you want salvation ?" said the Dea
con, looking into his brutal face.
"No, darn you I want Sal Skinner, and
the sexton won't let me take her out till meet
ing's over."
A Broaiiside into Nebraska. The N. Y.
Mirror understands that the 3.500 New Eng
land clergymen who petitioned against th?
Nebraska bill, will all preach sermons 'On thi
subject on the approaching " fast day."