This is an update nosotros received July thirteen from Professor Marc Meyers, who is currently inwards Brazil, scouting locations for an expedition upward the River of Doubt, which he plans to start this fall. Meyers plans to retrace the steps of Theodore Roosevelt, who explored the river 100 years ago, inwards 1914.
More on Meyers' planned expedition here.
An before dispatch from Meyers was published online past times UT San Diego here.
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| Meyers inwards forepart of Rondon's house. |
I had the skillful hazard to run across Eliar Negri, Secretary of Tourism, Commerce, in addition to Industry of Vilhena. He personally took me to take in Rondon’s house. It is a whitewashed structure amongst a forepart porch in addition to has patently received a novel roof. We had to run inwards into an expanse reserved for exclusive occupation of the Brazilian Air Force only were able to larn inwards through a gate inwards the fence. This is most in all probability a house where Roosevelt stayed before embarking downwards the River. In forepart of the solid at that spot is a foreign steel contraption amongst a crank in addition to a railroad train of gears. I could non flora sure enough the role of the heavy machine only suspect that it was intended to stretch the copper wires of the telegraph line. Eliar informed me that within the solid ane tin forcefulness out nevertheless honor some of Rondon’s personal effects only it was locked. There is also a cemetery inwards forepart of the solid only no markers. These must last Rondon’s camaradas, soldiers, in addition to Indians that died inwards this area. There was a rumor (as at that spot is often) that he had buried gilded inwards the yard in addition to this was followed past times furious digging.
Afterwards, he took me to the fairgrounds in addition to introduced me to its president, an Italian named Agostinho Pastore. He informed us that at that spot are real few horses inwards Vilhena, except for expensive purebreds kept past times rich ranchers. We are inwards the middle of soy country, which is the local gold. It is transported past times truck to Porto Velho, 500 miles north, in addition to thence past times barge downwards the Amazon to satiate the ever-growing needs of an ever-growing Asia. Soy is the most of import cistron of the local economy. Mr. Pastore also told me: “Forget nigh horses! What y'all postulate are mules. Much to a greater extent than endurance.”
And much less pleasant to ride, I idea to myself.
He told me that further south, roughly the inaugural of all of our planned reason journey, at that spot are enough of horses in addition to mules. He offered to run along them inwards his corrals, ane time nosotros larn inwards to Vilhena, in addition to informed us that it would last a uncomplicated affair to repatriate them to their signal of origin, since at that spot are large numbers of cattle trucks inwards the area.
I could non contact the somebody that knows nigh the steel boat that the Roosevelt-Rondon expedition in addition to resigned myself, inwards the afternoon, to sentry ane of the most dull matches of my life, Kingdom of the Netherlands vs. Argentina. The historian never called dorsum in addition to in all probability changed his heed nigh offering to help. However, I was fortunate to contact someone who owns a auto rental in addition to volition get got me this afternoon to my destination: the headwaters of the Roosevelt River. More to follow!
All the dispatches inwards the serial tin forcefulness out last found here:
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