SAX AXTOXIO DE J A VITA. 165 



tx 



before sunrise. The travellers were stirring before them, 

 however, because Humboldt waited, though vainly, for a 

 star ready to pass the meridian. In those humid regions 

 covered with forests, the nights became more obscure in 

 proportion as they drew nearer to the Eio Negro and the 

 interior of Brazil. They remained in the bed of the river 

 till daybreak, being afraid of losing themselves among 

 the trees. At sunrise they again entered the inundated 

 forest, to avoid the force of the current. On reaching 

 the junction of the Temi with another little river, the 

 Tuamini, the waters of which were equally black, they 

 proceeded along the latter to the south-west. This direc- 

 tion led them near the mission of Javita, which was 

 founded on the banks of the Tuamini ; and at this 

 Christian settlement they were to find the aid necessary 

 for transporting their canoe by land to the Rio Xegro. 

 They arrived at San Antonio de Javita shortly before 

 noon. 



They went every day to see how their canoe advanced 

 on the portages. Twenty-three Indians w^ere employed 

 in dragging it by land, placing branches of trees to serve 

 as rollers. The canoe being very large it was necessary 

 to avoid with particular care any friction on the bottom ; 

 consequently the passage occupied more than four days. 

 Hearing on the 6th that it had arrived, they set off and 

 followed it on foot, fording a great number of streams 

 which were considered dangerous on account of the 

 vipers with which the marshes abounded. They passed 

 the night in a hut lately abandoned by an Indian family, 

 who had left behind them their fishing-tackle, pottery, 

 nets made of the petioles of palm-trees ; in short, all that 

 composed the household furniture of that careless race of 



