524 THE TROPICAL WORLD. 



it may be said that they unite in themselves all the faults without any of the virtues of 

 their progenitors. As men they are generally inferior to the pure races, and as mem- 

 bers of society they are the worst class of citizens." Orton quotes this, but makes 

 decided qualifications to the generalization. " They display," he says, " considerable 

 talent and enterprise ; a proof that mental degeneracy does not necessarily result from 

 the mixture of white with Indian blood. Our observations do not support the opinion 

 that the result of amalgamation is ' a vague compound lacking character and expres- 

 sion.' The moral part is perhaps deteriorated ; but in tact and enterprise they often 

 exceed their progenitors." We have already, in Chapter II., quoted his statement 

 that in Quito, where he had the best opportunity of becoming acquainted with them, 

 " They are the soldiers, artisans, and tradesmen who keep up the only signs of life in 

 Quito." 



Agassiz thus sums up some of the leading capacities of the basin of the Amazon : 

 " Its woods alone have an almost priceless value. Nowhere in the world is there finer 

 timber either for solid construction or for works of ornament. The rivers which flow 

 past these magnificent forests seem meant to serve first as a water-power for the saw- 

 mills which ought to be established on their borders, and then as a means of transpor- 

 tation for material so provided. Yet all the lumber used is brought from Maine. Set- 

 ting aside the woods as timber, what shall I say of the mass of fruits, resins, oils, color- 

 ing matter, textile fabrics which they yield ? What surprised me most was to find 

 that a great part of this region was favorable to the raising of cattle. An empire 

 might esteem itself rich in any one of the sources of industry which abound in this 

 valley ; and yet the greater part of its vast growth rots on the ground , and goes to 

 form a little more river-mud, or to stain the waters on the shores of which its manifold 

 products die and decompose. Although the rivers abound in delicious fish, large use 

 is made of salt cod imported from other countries ; and bread and butter are brought 

 from the United States and England." 



Orton says of the Valley of the Amazon : " It possesses the most agreeable and 

 enjoyable climate in the world, with a brilliant atmosphere only equaled by that of 

 Quito, and with no changes of seasons. Life may be maintained with as little labor 

 as in the Garden of Eden. Perhaps no country in the world is capable of yielding so 

 large a return for agriculture. Nature, evidently designing this land as the home of a 

 great nation, has heaped up her bounties of every description : fruits of richest flavors, 

 woods of the finest grain, dyes of gayest colors, drugs of rarest virtues, and left no 

 sirocco or earthquake to disturb its people." 



