Chapter XXVII: Appendix: Notes (4)

"Having thus endeavored to set forth the state of this
important question, and to explain the views of your
memorialists, and the grounds of their prayer with regard to
it, the opinion is ventured that these enlightened decrees
of the Amazonian republics have, to all intents and purposes,
converted the Amazon itself, as it flows through Brazil, into
a mere strait, and its upper waters also, to all intents and
purposes, into arms of the sea. Those States have given to
American citizens the same right to sail and steam up and
down that river, from the sea to the riparian shores of Peru,
Bolivia, and Ecuador, that they have to pass the sound in
their commerce with the Baltic powers of Europe.

"As to the mode of exercising this right upon the "king of
rivers," the conditions upon which it is to be enjoyed, your
memorialists desire that Brazil should be consulted, and
that deference should be paid to her wishes, in so far that
reasonable restrictions may, by mutual agreement, be placed
upon it, as, without necessarily trammeling the exercise of
it, may, nevertheless, secure her from any inconvenience or
injury with regard to it.

"But if Brazil should prove contumacious; if she should deny
our rights, refuse to treat, and persist in her attempts
to keep the waters of the Amazon shut up against man's free
use, then, in the language of one of the most distinguished
of America's jurisconsults, your memorialists would have her
reminded that 'mutual intercourse and a reciprocal interchange
of benefits between the different nations which compose
the great family of mankind, are ordained by Providence as
essential to the moral well-being of the whole human race.
Who, then, shall dare to oppose his will to the accomplishment
of this divine law?'

"And, as in duty bound, your memorialists will ever pray, &c.

"M. F. MAURY,
"_Lieut. U. S. N., in behalf of the Memphis Convention_.

"FEBRUARY, 1854."

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Montaña (pronounced Montanya) is the name given by the
Peruvians to any wooded country, "monte" being the Spanish
term for a thick and tangled forest. As there is no other
wooded country in Peru except to the eastward of the Andes,
the term applies only to the eastern slope, and the level
country at the base of the mountains, stretching as far as
the confines of Brazil.

[2] As I shall have occasion, in speaking of routes, to
refer again to this river, I would like to draw particular
attention to it, simply stating here, however, that all who
have penetrated into the Montaña to the northward and eastward
of Cuzco, agree in reporting a large and navigable river
arrived at soon after clearing the skirts of the mountains.
Different tribes of Indians inhabit its banks, and I presume
it is on this account that so many different names—such as
Amarumayo, Mano, Tono, Inambiri, Guariguari, Cachihuara, and
Madre-de-dios—have been given it.

[3] Pongo means a rapid.

[4] A very green and pretty kind of lucern, universally used
in this country for pasturage.

[5] Chupe is a universal article of diet in the Sierra. It
is a broth, or soup, made generally of potatoes, cheese, and
lard; sometimes meat is boiled in it. It is the last dish
served at dinner at a gentleman's table before the dessert.

[6] Masato is made from the yucca by rasping the root to a
white pulp, and then boiling it. During the boiling the Indian
women, who are making it, take portions into their mouths,
chew it, and spit into the pot. After it is sufficiently
heated it is put into large earthen jars, covered and
suffered to ferment. When used it is taken out of the jar by
the handful, mixed with water in a gourd, stirred with the
fingers and drunk. It is a disgusting beverage, and powerfully
intoxicating.

[7] This is its value in barter. It may be bought for six and
a quarter cents money. The same is the case with the wax and
the balls of thread, which are held at double the price for
what they may be bought with coin.

[8] Hammocks, "de travessa," are those that are woven with
close stripes across them.

[9] Sausages made from the flesh of the Peixe-boi.

[10] Piasaba is a palm, from the bark of which is made nearly
all the rope used upon the Amazon. The appearance of the rope
made from it is exactly that of the East India _coir_. It is
very strong, but liable to rot in the heat and moisture of
this climate. The fibres of the bark are brought down the
rivers Negro and Branco, put up in large bundles, and are
at Barra made into cables and running rigging. The coils are
always sixty fathoms in length, and they are sold at so much
per inch of circumference.

[11] Guaraná is the fruit of a low wide-spreading tree. It
is about the size of a common walnut, and contains, within,
five or six small seeds. These seeds are toasted, ground,
mixed with a little water, pressed into moulds, and dried in
an oven. Two spoonfuls, grated into a tumbler of water, is
thought to make a very refreshing drink. It is said to be a
stimulant to the nerves, and, like strong tea or coffee, to
take away sleep. It grows principally on the banks of the
upper Tapajos, and is much used by the inhabitants of _Matto
Grosso_.

[12] This is isinglass, taken from a fish called _piraiba_.
I heard in Pará of a fish called gurijuba, which yielded an
isinglass worth sixteen dollars the arroba.

[13] Pub. Doc No. 43, 1827-'8.

[14] Cong. Doc. No. 43, 1827-'8.

[15] Mr. Clay to Mr. Gallatin, June, 1836.

* * * * * *

Transcriber's note:

Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have
been preserved. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.

The following lists possible misspellings, different names for the same
person/place/thing, or people/places/things with close spelling
differences in their names.

Alegre and Allegre
alquier and alquiere
alquieres and alquiers
Amarumayo and Amarumayu
andiroba and andirobá
assacú and assacu
benificiation and beneficiation
Boulognaise and Boulonnaise
Caballococha and Caballo-cocha
Canamas and Cauamas
capirono and capirona
cassave and cassava
Caxarmarquilla and Caxamarquilla
Cerro Pasco and Cerro de Pasco
chinchona and cinchona
Chochiquinas and Cochiquinas
Chrisostomo and Crisostomo
Cocamillas and Cocamillos
Coelho and Coelbo
Cuiaba, Cuyaba, Cuyabá and Cuiabá
Cuyabanos and Cuiabanos
demi-oitavo and demi-oitava
dissentions and dissensions
earthern and earthen
embarcation and embarkation
Eretria and Eretrea
Garupá and Gurupá
givara and givaro
Granada and Grenada
Hackett and Hacket
Itenes, Itenez and Ytenes
Japura and Japurá
Limoeiro and Limociro
litoral and littoral
magnetiser and magnetizer
mandioca and mandioc
Manoel and Manuel
Manseriche and Manseriché
Marajó and Marajo
Maraya and Maraia
masata and masato
Maynas and Mainas
Mayobamba and Moyobamba
Nicolas and Nicholas
Noguera and Nogueyra
Obydos and Obidos
Orejones and Oregones
Pachita and Pachitea
Pachiza and Pachisa
Palâcios and Palacios
pamacari and parmacari
paranimiri and paranamiri
parica and paricá
Pastasa and Pastaza
payshi and paishi
peixi-boi and peixe-boi
Perené and Perene
Peruate and Peruaté
Piasaba and Piassaba
Pichitea and Pachitea
piraiba and paraiba
Portugese and Portuguese
Puy-puy and Puypuy
roucou and rocou
sárnango and sarnango
tabardillo and tarbardillo
tapuio and tapuia
Tarapota, Tarrapoto and Tarapoto
Ticumas, Ticunas and Tucunas
tuyuyus and tuyuyús
Ucuyali and Ucayali