TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 185 



of transit. By the route of the Madeira and Amazons, this voyage of fi^e months 

 Avill be reduced to six -sveeks, the course being through a civilized empire which 

 takes the lead in opening the way for the commerce of the Avorld ; while the 

 opening of those great iluvial highways will also have the effect of solving the 

 most interesting questions in South American geogTaphy. The section of the 

 Eastern Andes, which is drained by the feeders of the Beni, extends from the 

 parallel of Cuzco to that of La Paz. This eastern chain forms a giant wall, run- 

 ning up into the loftiest peaks of South America in its southern portion, and 

 everpvhere rising above the line of perpetual snow. The author showed that the 

 cartography of the south-eastern end of the chain is well defined in our best 

 modern maps, while that of the north-western portion is in a state of much con- 

 fusion ; and he also pointed out some analogous features which exist between the 

 Andean and the Himalayan ranges. He then described in some detail the phy- 

 sical features of the region, which is pecidiarly interesting, leading to the conclu- 

 sion that the complete examination of the great affluent of the Madeira will result 

 in opening up one of the richest countries in the world, provided that the question 

 of turning the rapids of the Madeira, and of making the lower part of its course 

 navigable, is grappled with and overcome. The Brazilian Government is alive to 

 the importance of developing the resources and fostering the trade of the Amazon 

 valley, and has caused an elaborate survey to be made of the Madeira rapids. 

 These are eighteen in number, the total fall being 272 feet. The length of the 

 river course, containing rapids, is 229 miles, and the length of actual broken water 

 is 12 miles. The difference between low water and Hoods is about 20 feet, the 

 rise commencing in October and ending in March. Commerce is now carried past 

 in launches and canoes carrying from 3 to 8 tons. At six out of eighteen rapids it 

 is necessary to haul the boats round overland, at five others the boats are hauled 

 up stream while the boats are carried round, and tlie rest are merely difficult passes 

 where the loaded craft easily .shoot along the current. Serious steps have now 

 been taken to overcome these obstacles. A concession has been granted for the 

 construction of a railway round the rapids, which will be 170 miles long, including 

 a short branch to the mouth of the Beni. Above the Madeira rapids there are 

 3000 miles of river suited to steam navigation ; and the articles of commerce, which 

 would at once find an outlet by this route, are Chinchona bark. India-rubber, 

 vaniUa, sarsaparilla, balsams, aloes, valerian, dye-woods, gums, wax, hammocks 

 and bats, cacas, coffee, hides and tallow, wool, skins, cotton, gold, silver, and copper. 

 Connnerce is already treading close on the heels of discovery ; and Peruvian l)ark, 

 hitherto shipped exclusively from Pacific ports, is now beginning to find its way 

 to England by the Amazon and Parp. The trade of the Amazons, which was less 

 than half a million when the steamers began to run in 18o3, is now upwards of 

 £2,000,000 ; and this only represents the traffic on the main stream. The increase 

 will certainly be enornious when the mighty affluents bring down the products 

 of the Andes to find their way, by this magnificent fluvial highway, to the At- 

 lantic. The country is one possessing boundless capabilities, and a bright future 

 must assuredly be in store for that great Amazonian basin which nature has ble.ssed 

 so wonderfully. Nothing can be more likely to conduce to the consummation of 

 its commercial greatness than the thorough examination of those splendid navigable 

 rivers which form the chief affluents of the Amazons, and some of the more^Km- 

 portant of which are still so little known. In no other part of the world is there 

 a grander field for geographical discovery and research. In no other part will the 

 labours of the explorer be more richly repaid. 



On the GeograjyJiical Positions of the Tribes ivJiich formed the Empire of the 

 Yncas. By Clements R. Makkham, C.B., Sec.Ii.G.S. 



In submitting to the Section the A-iews which a study of early writers, the 

 native languages, and the topography of the country had led him to form respect- 

 ing the geographical positions of the tribes which combined to form the empire of 

 the Yncas of Peru, the author pointed out that the study of the nature and degree 

 of the civilization attained by the aboriginal Americans is especially important, 

 because that civilization was £elf-developed. The three i\merican empires of the 



