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CHAPTER XII 



EXPEDITION TO THE NICHARE, DECEMBER 22, 1900, TO 

 JANUARY 28, 1901 — FROM LA PRISION TO THE MOUTH 

 OF THE NICHARE 



Indians — Preparations for our departure — Departure from La Prision — Dug- 

 outs — Rapids of Mura — Water plants and tapirs— Burrowing birds — 

 Indian settlement at Mura — Strange-looking trees — Christmas on the 

 Caura — Facundo returns to La Prision — The Nichare. 



We spent several days at the settlement, during which, 

 as I have said, we made excursions into the forest as far 

 as the lajas, and to the Waiomgomo houses at Mura. 

 We were forcibly detained by Facundo's illness. Since 

 our departure from Puerto Antonio Liccioni he had been 

 suffering from a severe irritation of the intestines, brought 

 on by the quantity of freshly distilled rum he had con- 

 sumed on the occasion of his parting from his friends. I 

 decided to await his recovery before starting, because he 

 was the most intelligent peon I had with me, and the only 

 one, with the exception of the Indian woman from the 

 Rio Negro, who thoroughly understood the collecting and 

 preparation of rubber. I felt also that it would be an 

 advantage to secure as many Indians as possible from 

 the settlement at Mura. These men are indispensable as 

 pilots in difficult parts of the river, but they are slow 

 at deciding upon a journey, especially in the company of 

 Venezuelans, for whom they entertain a strong feeling 

 of dishke. To obtain the services of the men whom I 



