Ten Thousand Miles on the Amazon by Frank Uttley

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 30, 1911

Ten Thousand Miles on the Amazon

By Frank Uttley

(Concluded)

MANAOS is the capital and center of the state of Amazonas, which, along with the state of Para, occupies the whole of the Amazon valley. The only other towns in Amazonas are far apart, up various tributaries, and numerically are very small. The Acre region is the most important district next to Manaos. In this distant field we have circulated quite a large number of books through the efforts of a Brazilian Baptist pastor. Iquitos, a growing and important town, farther up the main stream, lies in Peru, and is of course in Mr. Stark’s field. I talked with a missionary in Para who told me that he himself had sold seven boxes of books in a few days in that place for the American Bible Society.

Next to Para, Manaos is by far the most important city. It is the capital and center of a province covering an area of seven hundred thirty-two thousand square miles; i. e., six times larger than the whole of the British Isles. It is well situated, on the slope of a hill, and ought to be healthful. It is in many ways a modern town, possessing, like Para, a splendid electric-tram service, and the whole town is lighted by electricity. The streets are wide, most of them are well paved, and they present a pleasing appearance on account of the luxuriant vegetation adorning them. Money is made very rapidly, and spent just as quickly. When the rubber trade is good, the whole place is given up to pleasure and gaiety.

One of the most interesting things is its fine modern floating wharf. As the rise and fall of the river is so marked (60 feet), an ordinary wharf would be useless. This is therefore built out in the river, on steel pontoons, and connected with the shore by overhead trolleys, on which is run all the cargo. This floating wharf rises and falls according to the river. The workmen engaged in this movement of cargo are nearly all Portuguese, who are brought from Portugal for this purpose. They work half-naked, and their once-white skin has become so tanned by the sun that they look like Indians. They live on special boats moored out in the middle of the river, and are paid at the rate of 13s. 4d. a day, with board and lodging. As they thus have little or no expense, they are able to send home to Portugal good sums of money.

If the municipal authorities of Manaos would only well drain their city, and take the same steps that Para is taking to destroy the mosquito, it would be a very different place. One of the chief officials, however, said recently: “Why go to this expense? Yellow fever does not trouble us, and if foreigners can not live here, let them die!”

I stayed only a few days in Manaos. I interviewed the three Brazilian Protestant ministers, talked with them and others about the most likely young men for colporteurs, and arranged everything I possibly could for the future. There is certainly room for a further extension of Bible work. At the same time the town has not by any means been neglected. The Presbyterian pastor even went so far as to say that the

town had been well canvassed. But our men can often sell to people who at first are opposed to reading the Bible. If this were not the case, our work in Brazil would be greatly crippled. We are here to persuade the unwilling that at all costs they ought to read God’s Book, and thousands who once never intended to do so, are reading it.

Of the voyage back to Para, there is nothing special to report. Going down the stream, and in the center of the current,—just the opposite to what is done in ascending the river,—we returned to Para in about half the time it took us to reach Manaos. As my trip on this river was made at high water, I saw very little of the great quantity of fresh-water fish and animal life which can be seen at low water. I had hoped to see the Indians shooting turtle, but it was not the right season. I was told by those who had watched the process that when a little of the turtle’s back is seen above the water, the Indian’s arrow is shot up into the air. Were it aimed directly at the turtle, it would glance off at once. Being shot high up, it falls directly with its barbed point onto the back of the shell and pierces it. How this is managed, only an Indian can tell; but it is said he very rarely misses. To the end of the arrow is attached a line, so that he may follow up his success. He paddles off after this line, pulls the turtle to the surface, and despatches it. In some parts of the river, thousands of turtles can be seen together at low water.

Occasionally we caught sight of a huge fish called the pirarucu, an enormous thing, looking at a distance like a porpoise. Specimens of this fish will reach the weight of six hundred pounds. Its flesh is said to be very good, and is dried in the sun and salted for export.

Arriving again in Para, I made my way to the Café de Paz where I was to stay a few days. During these days I resumed my intercourse with the ministers and other Christian workers. I went out with Snr. Lima to the market and the docks. Every visitor to Para ought to see the market, with its innumerable kinds of tropical fruits and its men and women of all shades of color—from the pure Indian and Negro on the one hand, to the European on the other. Here is found an amalgamation of half a dozen races, mixed and remixed. My companion seemed as well known in the market as in the docks, and my presence with him was a good introduction to some who are friendly to us. I became familiar with every part of the city. My visit was full of interest to me, and I believe it will be of great benefit to the society.

On May 2 I embarked again for Rio, where I spent about a week, and arrived in Buenos Aires on May 20, having been away two months. I had traveled ten thousand miles on six different steamers, and reached home feeling very grateful to God for his care, and exceedingly glad that I had been permitted to take the journey.—Frank Uttley in the Bible in the World.