ON THE AMAZON. 143 
nearly five weeks have elapsed and I as yet hear no tidings of my crew. 
A singular accident that happened to myself and Mr. King, about ten 
days ago, would have effectually prevented our visiting Monte Alegre, 
had even the means been forthcoming. Since the rise of the waters 
we had been unable to get into the Serras, on account of an inter- 
vening stream (the Igarapé d'Irurá) having widely overflowed its 
banks ; but when the rivers began plainly to ebb, I was desirous to see 
how the igarapé was affected. We visited it one day with this intent, 
and were well satisfied to find it passable by wading up to the middle. 
The ground on the opposite side, though still plashy, was not impas- 
sable, and we saw that the foot of the serras could be reached without 
difficulty. On a slightly rising ground a little beyond the igarapé are 
the ruins of a cottage, half of the walls and roof of which have fallen, 
and are now so overgrown with rank grasses as quite to hide the beams 
and rafters from the eye. In passing over this place Mr. King had the 
misfortune to tread upon a nail, and having, like myself, only India- 
rubber shoes on, which are a protection against nought but wet, he 
was severely wounded in the broad part of the foot. As the wound 
was very painful, I thought it better that he should return to the 
igarapé and wash it, and then await my return, as I wished to penetrate 
a little farther. Having gone far enough to satisfy myself that there 
was no obstruction from water, I was retracing my-steps and expected 
I had already passed the dangerous ground, when I felt myself pierced 
in the left foot, and was immediately thrown forward with violence. 
On withdrawing my shoe my foot was bathed in blood; a nail had 
entered the narrow part of the sole and pierced through a little below 
the ancle. How we reached Santarem I hardly know, and I shudder 
at the remembrance of the excruciating pain. We cut sticks where- 
with to assist our faltering steps, but we were every now and then 
obliged to lie down on the ground. The distance is nearly three miles, _ 
and we were three hours traversing it. On reaching home I had 
poultices applied to our wounded and swollen feet, and as I know - 
rest to be the best of all remedies in such a case, we did not attempt - 
to leave our hammocks for three days. Mr. King’s wound is by this 
time nearly healed ; and though my own wounds are not yet closed, the 
pain and inflammation have nearly subsided. 
It is a curious coincidence that the builder of the cottage at Irurá 
eame to his death by a nail. This man, a Portuguese, was pursuing a 
ves 
