Part 41 (2/2)

In the afternoon, after we had enjoyed an excellent lunch of fish, tinned provisions, and rice--my men also enjoying their _feijao_ (boiled beans)--we continued our journey. The river for 9,000 m. displayed first clean _campos_ and _chapada_ on the left bank and dense forest on the right, then _campos_ on the right bank and a belt of forest along the river on the left.

The _campos_ were particularly neat in that region--merely a few _burity_ and _tuc.u.m_ palms flouris.h.i.+ng on the edge of the water. In other localities a thick growth of beautiful bamboos interspersed with gigantic palms lined the banks.

Where the river turned due east we came to fairly strong rapids. The water was shallow with mounds of gravel, and we b.u.mped about a great deal. Eventually we all had to get into the water and push the canoe along for greater comfort.

The river next formed a huge basin, 900 m. long and 200 m. wide. A small tributary flowed into the Arinos in the crescent-shaped bank on the right. That bank had a height of 80 ft. On its summit quant.i.ties of _Siphonia elastica_ were to be admired. Farther down it was on the left side that the river had high banks, some 60 ft. high.

We went over a charming little _corrideira_. Strong eddies were encountered on emerging from the rapids. Where the right bank became lower--only 40 ft.--_chapada_ replaced the forest. The left bank was but 1 ft. above the level of the river, and the low country beyond (south) was naturally liable to inundation. For 4,000 m. the left bank was never higher than 4 ft. The right bank also suddenly became very low in that region.

Where the river turned from 290 b.m. to 320 b.m., there was a basin 700 m. broad with low banks. An island--Lydia Island--200 m. in circ.u.mference, rose within this basin on the north side and was luxuriantly wooded.

We found that day beautiful beaches of gravel, mostly on the right side.

Then strong rapids and _corrideiras_; below these more clean-looking gravel beaches--this time on the left--were visible, and an extensive island of gravel close to the right bank.

For 8,000 m. the gorgeous stream flowed almost in a direct line northward, with dense forest and a wealthy growth of rubber trees on both sides. Wonderful _figueira_ trees with their spotless white branches embellished the landscape.

On the left a tributary of some size entered the Arinos from the south-east in two arms with an island between; the largest arm was 40 m.

wide, the smaller 10 m. Then another stream entered the Arinos on the right side.

We were again confronted by a large basin enclosed on the north by a crescent-shaped wall 100 ft. high, at the foot of which at the level of the river was a quant.i.ty of debris of yellow rock. The river at that spot turned sharply from 20 b.m. (N.N.E.) to 290 b.m.--that is to say, almost north-west. The width of the Arinos at this point was from 80 to 100 m.

Towards sunset we came to a beautiful island 200 m. long. We cleared a sufficiently large s.p.a.ce in the dense and gorgeous vegetation to make our camp for the night.

CHAPTER V

Great Islands--The Trincho Fish--A Fisherman's Paradise--Alastor Island--Plentiful Rubber--The Civilized Man's Idea of the Tropical Forest--The War-Cries of the Indians--Swarms of Bees and b.u.t.terflies

WE had another cool night on July 12th--minimum temperature 47 F. It was very damp, and in the morning we had, as on the previous day, a thick mist which prevented our starting until it cleared up, at 7.40 a.m. The mist rose in columns and square blocks over the warmish water of the river. The right bank of the Arinos was 40 ft. high.

We had gone some 1,500 m. from our camp when we came to a magnificent island, 400 m. long and 200 m. wide--Griselda Island--which divided the stream into two channels.

All the islands we had seen of late showed on the up-stream side a more or less extensive spit of beautifully coloured gravel and glittering crystals. The latter shone in the sun with such iridescent luminosity that it gave those islands a fairy-like appearance.

We encountered troublesome eddies which swung the canoe about, and in one case actually spun her completely round in a most alarming manner, tearing out of Alcides' hands the steering gear, which we had some trouble in recovering.

There were many handsome large-leafed _pacova_, somewhat resembling banana palms; also quant.i.ties of _Siphonia elastica_, although these were not quite so plentiful as farther south nor the trees so high. A tiny brook of delicious water descended into the Arinos from the left bank.

Ten thousand five hundred metres farther down from Griselda Island we came to another island, 300 m. long and 50 m. broad--Negrino Island--with the usual spit of gravel and beautiful crystals on the south side. This island was 10 ft. high above the water, with some trees on it, but not such luxuriant vegetation as on most of the other islands we had seen.

A stream 5 m. wide at the mouth, coming from the N.N.W., entered the Arinos on the right side. The main river had a direction of 305 b.m.--that is to say, virtually north-west. Great volcanic slabs of rock and sand-banks were now reached.

The sun was not extraordinarily hot--90 F. at noon. The country on either side was open--chiefly _chapada_. Beautiful gravel beaches were now seen, extending half-way across the river, particularly from the left side.

Another tributary 5 m. wide coming from the N.N.E. was pa.s.sed on our right, and beyond this a thick forest with rubber trees was visible, while _chapada_ continued on the left.

Round a big basin 200 m. in diameter, containing shallow water from 1 to 6 ft. deep, stood a ma.s.s of gigantic trees with verdant healthy foliage, and innumerable abnormally tall _burity_ palms, over 100 ft. high, and _tuc.u.m_ (_Astrocaryum tuc.u.ma_)--also of immense size.

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