A FRENCH EXPLORES,

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1791, 16 March 1888, Page 3

A FRENCH EXPLORES,

The French Geographical Soc'ety has received a telegraph from M. Jcs^ph de Brettes, who has been intrusted with a mission b 7 the Minister of Jfur>lic Instruction, informing it that be has recommenced his travels through the Choco aud the central region offtSoath America

M. de Brettes started about a .year ago from France with ihe intention of following np a journey which he fiad begun a short time before, a.' dof pass : ng through the triangle m Jrouth America winch is bordered by civilised and inhibited countries, euch as Peru to tho west Chili '0 the east, the Argentine Republic, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Brazil.

Business relations between all thase countries are vary difficult to maintain, ai the centre of this triangle is occupied by an immense extent of territory wh.ch luia never beea surveyed, and over which there are no routes or roads. This tarri tory is called the Ghaco, and is subdivided into the Northern, the Central, and the Southern Cbaco, all three of which are m babitei hy Bavage Indian tribes S9v<>r<il efforts have beenmadeto penetrate into the former by water, and it will he remembered that Dr Orevaux perished three or four years ago. while following the course of the Rio Pleomayo. Other travellers have reconnoitred the course of the Rio Vermejo ; bat it is generally agreed tbat these two streams are not narlgable ia their entire length, bo M, de Brettea resolved to try the land through the southern Chaco. His first journey was commenced m 1835, when, going up the Parana river from Baenos Ay res a3 far as Corrientes, he endeavored to reach the town of Condeliard, upon the opposite coast. The dlatance was 700 miles, and M. de Brettea started with a caravan consisting of two Indiana and 36 horses. When he had got 200 miles island he came upon an immense salt lake 116 miles loDg, and convinced himself tbat the land route was practicable. But upon the 43rd day of his journey he was struck down by fever and had to ret am to Oorrientes. This illness having left htm almoatwithout resources, he determined to come home and endeavor to interest the Geographical Society m the work:

This he succeeded m doing, and though, like M. Donla, whose recent travels m Africa are well known, he Is only 25, he it now making his second expedition m this unexplored region.