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Title: Across Unknown South America
Author: Arnold Henry Savage Landor
Release date: August 31, 2007 [eBook #22483]
Most recently updated: January 26, 2021
Language: English
Credits: Produced by Michael Ciesielski and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ACROSS UNKNOWN SOUTH AMERICA ***
ACROSS UNKNOWN
SOUTH AMERICA
BY
A. HENRY SAVAGE-LANDOR
WITH 2 MAPS, 8 COLOURED PLATES, AND 260 ILLUSTRATIONS
FROM PHOTOGRAPHS BY THE AUTHOR
IN TWO VOLUMES
HODDER AND STOUGHTON
LONDON NEW YORK TORONTO
The Author.
Printed in 1913
Copyright in the United States of America
by A. Henry Savage-Landor
THIS WORK IS DEDICATED
to
THE PEOPLE
of the
GREAT BRAZILIAN REPUBLIC
CONTENTS
VOL. I
| Chapter | Paragraph Description | Pp. |
|---|---|---|
| PREFACE | v-xiii | |
| CONTENTS | xv-xviii | |
| LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS | xix-xxiv | |
| I | The Heart of Brazil—Brazil, its Size and its Immense Wealth—Rio de Janeiro—Brazilian Men of Genius—São Paulo—The Bandeirantes—The Paulista Railway | 1-25 |
| II | Coffee—The Dumont Railway | 26-37 |
| III | On the Mogyana Railway | 38-51 |
| IV | The Terminus of the Railway—An Unpleasant Incident—The Purchase of Animals—On the March with the Caravan | 52-68 |
| V | Travelling across Country—A Musical Genius—Valuable Woods—Thermal Springs | 69-85 |
| VI | Inquisitiveness—Snakes—A Wonderful Cure—Butterflies—A Striking Scene | 86-101 |
| VII | In the City of Goyaz | 102-117 |
| VIII | Fourteen Long and Weary Days—Disappointment—Criminals as Followers | 118-131 |
| IX | The Departure—Devoured by Insects | 132-148 |
| X | Fishing—Termites—The Great Araguaya River | 149-159 |
| XI | The Tucano—Fish of the Araguaya River—A Bad Shot—A Strange Sight | 160-178 |
| XII | Geological Speculation—Beautiful Pasture-land | 179-195 |
| XIII | The River Barreiros—A Country of Tablelands | 196-206 |
| XIV | The Bororo Indians | 207-223 |
| XV | Bororo Superstitions—The Bororo Language—Bororo Music | 224-241 |
| XVI | Bororo Legends—The Religion of the Bororos—Funeral Rites | 242-263 |
| XVII | The River Das Garças—Majestic Scenery | 264-279 |
| XVIII | The Salesian Fathers—A Volcanic Zone | 280-291 |
| XIX | The Paredão Grande—A Cañon—A Weird Phenomenon—Troublesome Insects | 292-310 |
| XX | Wild Animals—An Immense Chasm—Interesting Cloud Effects | 311-327 |
| XXI | A Beautiful Lagoon—Strange Lunar Display—Waves of Lava—Curious Grottoes—Rock Carvings—A Beautiful Waterfall | 328-343 |
| XXII | In Search of the Highest Point of the Brazilian Plateau—Mutiny—Great Domes—Travelling by Compass—A Gigantic Fissure in the Earth's Crust | 344-358 |
| XXIII | The Jangada River—Demented Descendants of Slaves—Appalling Degeneration—Giant Monoliths—The River Roncador—Gigantic Natural Gateways—The Discovery of Fossils | 359-376 |
| XXIV | A Swampy Valley—Impressive Scenery—"Church Rock"—Escaping before a Forest Fire—The Rio Manso—Difficulties of marching across Virgin Country—Beautiful Rapids | 377-398 |
| XXV | The Blue Mountains—The Cuyabá River—Inaccurate Maps—A Rebellion in Camp—Infamy of Author's Followers—The Lagõa dos Veados and the Seven Lakes—Falling Back on Diamantino—Another Mutiny—Slavery—Descending from the Tableland | 399-432 |
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
VOL. I
| Page | |
| The Author | Photogravure Frontispiece |
| Rio de Janeiro, showing the beautiful Avenida Central | 4 |
| Rio de Janeiro as it was in 1903 | 8 |
| Dr. Pedro de Toledo, Minister of Agriculture, Brazil | 12 |
| Senador Alcindo Guanabara, a great Literary Genius and Patriot of Brazil | 16 |
| The Municipal Theatre, Rio de Janeiro | 20 |
| Baron de Rio Branco | 24 |
| Dr. Passos | 28 |
| A Beautiful Waterfall at Theresopolis | 32 |
| Antonio Prado's Coffee Estate | 32 |
| The Station and Shed of the Goyaz Railway, Araguary. Mr. Luiz Schnoor and his two Engineers | 48 |
| Typical Trees of the Brazilian Forest, Goyaz. The Stem devoid of Branches and Foliage up to a great Height | 48 |
| Author departing from Morro da Meza, showing style of Costume worn during the Expedition | 56 |
| Alcides and Filippe the Negro | 56 |
| Goyaz Railway in Construction: the Cut leading to the Paranahyba River | 64 |
| Author's Caravan crossing a Stream | 64 |
| Characteristic Types of Brazilians of the Interior. (Notice the Degenerate Faces and Development of Goitre) | 68 |
| A Typical Village of the Province of Goyaz | 68 |
| Picturesque Ox-carts of Goyaz | 76 |
| A Home in Central Brazil | 80 |
| A Clever Automatic Pounding Machine | 80 |
| Brazilian Pack-saddles | 88 |
| A Typical Village. (The Higher Building is the Church) | 88 |
| Author's Caravan about to cross the River Corumba | 96 |
| Burity Palms | 96 |
| The President of Goyaz and his Family. (Giant Cactus in the background) | 100 |
| The Main Square of Goyaz City, showing Prison and Public Library | 108 |
| Some of the Baggage and Scientific Instruments used by Author on his Expedition | 108 |
| Author's Six Followers | 112 |
| View of Goyaz City from Sta. Barbara | 120 |
| Author's Men packing Animals | 120 |
| Some of Author's Pack Animals | 128 |
| Author's Caravan across the Immense Prairies of Matto Grosso | 144 |
| The Araguaya River (looking North) | 152 |
| The Araguaya (looking South) | 152 |
| Caraja Indian of the Upper Araguaya River | 160 |
| Typical Flat-topped Plateau of Central Brazil | 168 |
| One Night's Fishing on the Araguaya | 168 |
| The Paredãozinho | 176 |
| Typical Scenery of Matto Grosso | 176 |
| Volcanic Scenery of Matto Grosso (Chapada in foreground) | 184 |
| Peculiar Formation of Central Plateau | 184 |
| Curious Domes of Lava with Upper Stratum of Earth, Sand and Ashes | 192 |
| Great Undulating Campos of Matto Grosso | 192 |
| Typical Brazilian Plateau, showing Work of Erosion | 200 |
| On the Plateau of Matto Grosso (Alcides in foreground) | 200 |
| A Fine Bororo Type on a Visit To Author's Camp | 208 |
| Bororo Men, showing Lip Ornament | 216 |
| Bororo Men | 216 |
| Bororo Indians | 224 |
| Bororo Men (the Aprons are not actually worn) | 228 |
| Bororo Warriors | 232 |
| Bororo Warriors | 232 |
| The Horrors of Photography: Bororo Children | 236 |
| Bororo Chief rattling Gourds filled with Pebbles, in order to call Members of his Tribe (Coloured Plate) | 238 |
| Bororo Child showing strong Malay Characteristics | 240 |
| Bororo Girls | 244 |
| Bororo Girls (side view) | 244 |
| Bororo Women, showing Method of carrying Children | 248 |
| Bororos showing Formation of Hands | 248 |
| Bororo Women | 252 |
| Bororo Women | 252 |
| Bororos Thrashing Indian Corn | 256 |
| A Bororo Blind Woman | 256 |
| Bororo Children | 260 |
| Bororo Women | 260 |
| Isolated Conical Hills with Tower-like Rocky Formations on Summit | 268 |
| The Endless Campos of Matto Grosso | 268 |
| Geometrical Pattern on the Surface of a Flow of Lava (caused by Sudden Contraction in Cooling) | 272 |
| The Observatory at the Salesian Colony. (Padre Colbacchini in the Foreground) | 280 |
| Bororo Women and Children | 280 |
| Strange Formation of Volcanic Rock | 288 |
| Volcanic Cavities (Matto Grosso) | 288 |
| A Vertical Mass of Solid Rock of a Brilliant Red Colour | 292 |
| The Paredão Grande (Matto Grosso) (Coloured Plate) | 294 |
| The Paredão Grande, showing Vertical Rocks with Great Arches | 300 |
| Mushroom-shaped Rocks of Volcanic Formation | 308 |
| A Great Earthquake Fissure in the Terrestrial Crust (Matto Grosso) | 308 |
| Strange Geometrical Pattern of Lava over Giant Volcanic Dome | 316 |
| Author's Troop of Animals wading across a Shallow Stream | 324 |
| Central Cluster of Trees and Palms in a Cuvette (Matto Grosso) | 332 |
| A Giant Wave of Lava | 332 |
| Strange Rock-Carvings of Matto Grosso | 336 |
| Weird Lunar Effect witnessed by Author (Coloured Plate) | 340 |
| A Giant Quadrangular Block of Rock | 344 |
| Rock-Carvings in Matto Grosso | 344 |
| A Picturesque Waterfall on the S. Lourenço River | 352 |
| A Cañon of Matto Grosso | 356 |
| How Author's Animals rolled down Trailless Ravines | 360 |
| Hideous Types characteristic of Central Brazil. Two Women (Left) and Two Men (Right) | 364 |
| Author's Caravan marching across Trailless Country | 368 |
| The Roncador River | 368 |
| Fossil Skull of a Giant Animal discovered by Author (Side View) | 376 |
| Fossil Skull of Giant Animal (seen from Underneath) | 376 |
| A Grand Rock ("Church Rock") | 384 |
| Church Rock (Side View) | 384 |
| Quadrangular Rocky Mountain connected by Natural Wall of Rock with the Vertical-sided Range in Background | 388 |
| Quadrangular Rocky Mountain showing Rocky Wall connecting it with the Neighbouring Range | 392 |
| Author's Caravan in the Heart of Matto Grosso | 392 |
| A Giant Dome of Lava | 396 |
| Campos and Chapada of Matto Grosso | 396 |
| Marvellous Scenery of the Central Brazilian Plateau. "Church Rock" standing in the Centre (Coloured Plate) | 400 |
| A Street of Diamantino | 404 |
| The Dogs of the Expedition | 404 |
| Matto-Grosso Girl, a Mixture of Portuguese, Indian and Negro Blood | 412 |
| Brazilian Child, a Mixture of Portuguese and Negro | 412 |
| Map showing Author's Route | 432 |
| Map showing the Arinos and Arinos-Juruena Rivers | 432 |
The Mouth of the Putamayo River.
CONTENTS
VOL. II
| Chapter | Paragraph Description | Pp. |
|---|---|---|
| CONTENTS | iii-viii | |
| LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS | ix-xvi | |
| I | The River Arinos—A Rickety Canoe—Mapping the River—The Siphonia Elastica—Rubber and its Collection—An Enormously Rich Country—A German in Slavery | 1-15 |
| II | Hoisting the British Flag—An Escaped Slave—A Dilemma—Benedicto—The Lutra Brasiliensis—The Seringueiros—A Marvellous River—Rapids | 16-32 |
| III | Dangerous Navigation—Eddies—Whirlpools—An Extraordinary Creature—The Man X—Pedro de Toledo Island—An Interesting Rodent | 33-50 |
| IV | Oleo Pardo Trees—Beautiful Palms—The River Bottom—Swarms of Butterflies—Millions of Bees—A Continuous Torture | 51-61 |
| V | Great Islands—The Trinchão Fish—A Fisherman's Paradise—Alastor Island—Plentiful Rubber—The Civilized Man's Idea of the Tropical Forest—The War-Cries of the Indians—Swarms of Bees and Butterflies | 62-75 |
| VI | The Tapirus Americanus—Striking Scenery—The Mate Tree—Photography in Camp—Brazilian Way of Reasoning—A New Christopher Columbus—The Selection of our Camps—Beautiful Fruit—A Large Tributary | 76-91 |
| VII | Ideal Islands—Immense Figueira Trees—The "Spider Monkey"—Great Variety of Fish in the Arinos—The Rocky Gateway into Diabolical Waters—Shooting Dangerous Rapids—Cutting a Way through the Forest—A Nasty Rapid—Plentiful Fish | 92-111 |
| VIII | Magnificent Basins—Innumerable Rapids—Narrow Escapes—The Destructive Sauba Ants—Disobedient Followers—A Range of Mountains—Inquisitive Monkeys—Luck in Fishing—Rocky Barriers—Venus | 112-128 |
| IX | Dogs—Macaws—Crocodiles—A Serious Accident: Men flung into a Whirlpool—The Loss of Provisions and Valuable Baggage—More Dangerous Rapids—Wonderful Scenery—Dangerous Work—On the Edge of a Waterfall—A Risky Experience—Bravery of Author's Brazilian Followers—A High Wind from the North-East—A Big Lake | 129-150 |
| X | The Point of Junction of the Arinos and Juruena Rivers—Elfrida Landor Island—Terrible Days of Navigation—Immense Islands—An Old Indian Camp—A Fight between a Dog and an Ariranha—George Rex Island—A Huge Sucuriú Snake | 151-164 |
| XI | A Family of Ariranhas—Attacked by them—Three Nasty Rapids—Beautiful Sand Beaches—Exciting Experiences—Going down a Thundering Cataract—Alcides' Narrow Escape—A Night's Work in the Midst of a Foaming Rapid in order to rescue the half-submerged Canoe—Filippe's Courage—Visited by a Snake 20 ft. long | 165-181 |
| XII | A Tiny Globular Cloudlet warning us—Tossed in a Merciless Manner—Saved by Providence—Vicious Waters—A Diabolical Spot—A Highly Dangerous Crossing—A Terrible Channel—More Bad Rapids—On the Verge of a Fatal Drop down a Waterfall—Saved in Time—A Magnificent Sight—The August Falls—A Mutiny—The Canoe, weighing 2,000 lb., taken across the Forest over a Hill-range | 182-206 |
| XIII | A Double Whirlpool—Incessant Rapids of Great Magnitude—A Dangerous Channel—Nothing to Eat—Another Disaster | 207-219 |
| XIV | In the Hands of Providence—A Mutiny—Another Mutiny—Foodless—Hard and Dangerous Work—A Near Approach to Hades—Making an Artificial Channel among Thousands of Boulders—An Awe-inspiring Scene—The Fall of S. Simão—A Revolt | 220-234 |
| XV | Mutiny and Threats—Wasted Efforts—Awful Waters—The Canoe escapes in a Violent Rapid—Another Mutiny—The Canoe recovered—An Appalling Vortex—The Fall of S. Simão—Cutting an Artificial Channel in the Rocks | 235-248 |
| XVI | At Death's Door—Mundurucu Indians—All Author's Followers poisoned by Wild Fruit—Anxious Moments—Seringueiros—A Dying Jewish Trader—The Mori Brothers—A New Hat—Where the Tres Barras meets the Arinos-Juruena—The Canoe abandoned | 249-265 |
| XVII | A Fiscal Agency—Former Atrocities—The Apiacar Indians—Plentiful Rubber—Unexploited Regions—Precious Fossils thrown away by Author's Followers—A Terrific Storm—Author's Canoe dashed to pieces—The Mount St. Benedicto | 266-277 |
| XVIII | Starting across the Virgin Forest—Cutting the Way incessantly—A Rugged, Rocky Plateau—Author's Men throw away the Supplies of Food—Attacked by Fever—Marching by Compass—Poisoned—Author's Men break down—Author proceeds across Forest endeavouring to reach the Madeira River—A Dramatic Scene | 278-298 |
| XIX | Benedicto and Filippe show Courage—Confronted with a Mountainous Country—Steep Ravines—No Food—Painful Marches—Starving—Ammunition rendered useless by Moisture—The "Pros" and "Cons" of Smoking—A Faint Hope—A Forged Tin which should have contained Anchovies—Curious Effects of Starvation upon the Brain—Where Money is of no avail—Why there was Nothing to eat in the Forest—The Sauba Ants—Sniffed by a Jaguar—Filippe tries to commit Suicide | 299-320 |
| XX | Benedicto and the Honey—Constantly collapsing from Exhaustion—A Strange Accident—Finding a River—People's Mistaken Ideas—Sixteen Days of Starvation—An Abandoned Hut—Repairing a Broken-down Canoe—Canoe founders—A Raft constructed of Glass | 321-338 |
| XXI | The Launching of the Glass Raft—Accidents—The Raft sinking—Saved—Our First Solid Meal—Its Consequences—The Canuma and Secundury Rivers—Marching back across the Forest to the Relief of the Men left behind—A Strange Mishap—A Curious Case of Telepathy | 339-364 |
| XXII | Baggage Saved—The Journey down the Tapajoz River—Colonel Brazil—Wrecked—From Itaituba to the Amazon—Benedicto and the Man X are discharged | 365-385 |
| XXIII | Santarem to Belem (Pará)—The Amazon—From Belem to Manaos—The Madeira-Mamore Railway | 386-404 |
| XXIV | Attacked by Beri-beri—A Journey up the Madeira River to the Relief of Filippe the Negro and Recovery of Valuable Baggage left with him—Filippe paid off—A Journey up the River Solimões—Iquitos | 405-418 |
| XXV | From Iquitos to the Foot of the Andes up the Rivers Ucayalli, Pachitea and Pichis—The Cashibos or "Vampire Indians" | 419-438 |
| XXVI | Across the Andes—The End of the Trans-continental Journey | 439-457 |
| XXVII | The Peruvian Corporation Railway—The Land of the Incas—Lake Titicaca—Bolivia—Chile—The Argentine—A Last Narrow Escape—Back in England | 458-476 |
| APPENDIX | Some of the Principal Plants of Brazil—Mammals—Birds—Fish—Reptiles—Vocabularies | 477-496 |
| INDEX | 497-504 |