The Amazon

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22121, 17 June 1937, Page 3 (Supplement)

The Amazon

The river Amazon in South America is the longest in the world. It rises in Lake Launcooha in the mountains of Peru, and _ cut* through the Andes in a series of deep gorges till it reaches the great almost unexplored forest plains which lie between the foothills of the mountains and the Atlantic. The main stream and its tributaries drain an area about two-thirds as large as Europe, and it is small wonder that the water in the Atlantic is still fresh more than 200 miles out from the mouth of the Amazon. It is a slow flowing river—2i miles an hour—and with its tributaries affords steamboats about 25,000 miles of safe waterways, which are not used much because of the extreme tropical climate. The dense jungle which covers the banks is so luxuriant that it will scarcely let the daylight through. The river itself teems with alligators, turtles, and fish of all kinds; through its fever-infested waters steam the ships which bring supplies of quinine, vanilla, coffee, and sugar to the great trade routes of the world. Lion Marmoset The lion marmoset belongs to the large family of small monkeys. He is found only in Central and in South America. He resembles the squirrel in appearance, with his bushy tail and thick fur, and he is an expert tree-climber, and lives mainly on insects and fruit.