HEATH’S DISCOVERIES IN SOUTH AMERICA. 737 
pelled to abandon his expedition, and returned almost heart-broken to die of wea- 
riness and disappointment on the legendary lake of Titicaca. 
About three years ago, Dr. E. R. Heath returned to South America to com- 
plete, if possible, Prof. Orton’s work, and explore this unknown region, the zerra 
incognita of South America. It was hoped that some Geographical Society would 
aid in this important work, but while plans were being laid to secure material as- 
sistance, Dr. E. R. Heath undertook and solved the problem himself. 
- On December 28, 1880, Dr. Heath, of Wyandotte, Kansas, received a letter 
hastily written by his brother, dated Reyes, Bolivia, on the river Beni, Aug. 3, 
1880, on the day of his embarkation for the rubber camps and the unknown 
country further below. He wrote that he was just setting out to explore this un- 
known region, and that three months ‘would tell the tale of his success or defeat. 
On March 1oth, Dr. Ivon D. Heath received another letter from his brother in 
South America, announcing that his expedition had proved a complete success. 
The following extract will be interesting from this letter, which is dated Reyes, 
Bolivia, Dec. 20, 1880: 
«The question of the Beniis solved. This work of Professor Orton is finish- 
ed. I made the trip from Cabinas (rubber camps on the Madidi) in a canoe with 
twoIndians. I left Cabinas September 27, and, after delays from sickness of my 
men, at 83a. M , October 8th, discovered a new river entering from the south, and 
at mid-day of the 8th arrived at the junction of the Madre de Dios with the Beni 
No other white man has ever seen the mouth of this magnificent river. Crude 
measurements gave 735 feet for the width of the Beni, and 2350 for that of the 
Madre de Dios. Took careful observations for latitude and longitude. At 6:50 
A. M. of the oth, I passed the mouth of a river the size of the Yacuma entering 
from the north, to which I gave the name Orton. 
At night we slept on a sand-bar joined to a large island. On the roth we 
passed this island, and at 8 a. m. another large one, and at 10 a. M. came toa 
line of rocks obstructing the river and making rapids. One mile further down we 
came to the main fall, which exhibits a perpendicular descent of the entire river 
of thirty feet. We occupied the remainder of the 1oth in drawing our little 
craft over the rocks to the waters below. With much risk we passed the waves 
below the falls and camped. On the morning of October 11 we passed some 
rocks in the river corresponding to the rapids of the Palo Grande of the River 
Mamoré, but which, here, offer no serious obstructions to navigation. At Io a. 
M., October 11, 1880, we arrived at the mouth of the Beni—that is, at the junc- 
tion of the Beni and Mamoré rivers. From thence we ascended the Mamoré, 300 
miles, to Exaltacion and Santa Ana, and from Santa Ana to this place, 200 miles 
west over the pampas; brought my boat on an ox cart. a 
Here I am safe and sound with a ma» of the three rivers—Beni, Mamoré and 
Yacuma. From the river Madidi to the mouth of the Beni there are but four fam- 
ilies of Pacavara Indians in the place of ‘‘multitudes of man-eating savages,” as 
every man, woman and child in Bolivia has believed during many scores of years. 
Rubber gatherers are already taking advantage of my exploration, and have es- 
tablished camps further down the Beni.” 
On account of superstitious fear of the unexplored portion of the river Beni, 
the productions of the rubber camps on the river Madidi have ascended the riv- 
er Beni, 200 miles to Reyes, thence east 200 miles to river Mamoré, thence 300 
