243 i 
but they shook their heads, and said it would never answer. At 
length the demand for india-rubber, especially from the United 
States, began to exceed the supply ; the price peque rose 
rapidly, until early in 1854 it reached the extravagant s of 
38 milreis the arroba (2s. 9d. per pound). This woke ub Y 
people from their apathy and the impulse once given, extended 
80 rapidly and widely, that decir throughout the Amazon and its 
principal tributaries the mass of the x dg r E itself into 
motion to search out and fSbricaté seringa. the province of 
Para alone (which now includes a very titi portion of 
that branch of industry in the year 1854. Mechanics threw aside 
their tools, sugar-makers deserted their engenhos, and Indians 
ona rogas; so that sugar, rum, and even farinha, pem not pro- 
the two former articles having to be imported Ari Maranham 
and Pernambuco, and the last from the river Uaupé 
The next authentic account isa “ Report on the itr edm 
pa collecting of plants and seeds of the india-rubber tre f 
. &e,” by Robert Cross, presented to the Under Secretary of 
State for India in 1877. Extracts from this are given below. 
Mr. Churchill’s report pedo: D ee contains the latest ay most 
gei information in regard to the Para rubber indus 
of a revenue of £428, 894 aolo on exports in RA State 
of Patong) in 1896-97, £415, im was collected on rubber alone. "The 
export died is 23 per cen 
“The entire Am Moon erop of 1895-96 amounted to 20,981 
tons, whereas that of 1896-97 reached eo es ons, an increase of 
6'4 per cent. The crop of the State of Para during 1896-97 
def ende wd 8,844 tons." 
e source 8 of the rubber supply of the Amazonian region are 
upuMéuimately given by Mr. Consul Churchill, as follows :— 
Sonrces. Quantity. 
From River Purtis 3, 500 Tons. 
?* Hl Madei 1r&á i 2,2 
z » uruá MER pue "un : 2100 
T »,  Solimédes is a e A ,UO00 
: T Deci Bs Ex is TOO iy 
” ary and Port of Iquitos m i TRA 1500 y 
» Peru A. "Bolivia ae D i 2,000 .,, 
„ Para 9.000 , 
22,000 
Approximate annual production ... 
“The internal water communication afforded by the river 
Amazon and its numerous branches is so great vem railroads and 
iesu means of transport are hardly needed. Ocean steamers c 
h Manaos, which is about 1,000 miles from the. iin at all times 
of tl the year. There is a regular se rvice of ocean steamers plying 
during high river as far as Iquitos, a port of Peru, which is 2,200 
miles from the mouth of the Amazons, 
637 
A 2 
