Letters o/Mr. J. Graham Kerr. 15 



serves the Indians as a tent. Now and again_, too, we see a 

 human footprint, sometimes of immense size, impressed upon 

 the muddy margin of a lagoon. So we are always on the 

 alert, the four Britons of the Expedition keeping watch at 

 night, fully armed and wide awake. The four said Britons 

 are Poole, Kenyon (English), Henderson (the chief engineer), 

 and myself. When I go away collecting, as I do every 

 day, I always carry a loaded revolver and knife, ready for 

 emergencies ; for, in addition to Indians, there are abundance 

 of jaguars about, which one has to be prepared for. Yesterday 

 we got an alligator close to the boat, 8 feet long. The alli- 

 gators here are all small, 8 feet being the largest we have 

 seen. 



As regards food, we are on very short rations, being 

 within a month or so of the end of our provisions. The 

 canoe is to be sent down soon,. I believe, to hurry up the 

 fresh supplies of provisions, and by it I shall send this letter, 

 although it is very doubtful whether you will ever get it. 

 The health of the men is not good ; we have always two or 

 three of the seventeen on board ill. I have, however, had 

 excellent health. The only thing disagreeable is the fearful 

 cold. In the mornings the thermometer is often nearly at 

 the freezing-point, and I feel quite benumbed. Fortunately, 

 it generally gets a little warmer during the day, the tempera- 

 ture rising in the afternoon to between 70° and 90° F. The 

 river-water is regular brine here, quite as salt as sea-water, 

 and when occasionally we run out of fresh water for a few 

 days, it is very disagreeable having to take coifee, &c., made 

 with salt water. Of fruits here there are none worth eating. 

 The young parts of the palm-trees are eatable, and we use a 

 good deal of it in order to economize the rice, &c. I do not 

 expect at all that we can possibly reach Bolivia, and I do not 

 think the river Pilcomayo could ever be made navigable. 



