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CHAPTEK XVIII 



Our last tapir — Arawa and Arichi — The fatal April 27— Loss of the large 

 boat — We arrive at a decision — A night of misery — Mateo bitten by a 

 snake — Treatment of snake-bite — Slow progress through the forest — 

 The men build a raft— The kosoibo — Sufferings of the men — Suraima 

 — We begin to starve — In desperate straits — The men decide to separate. 



The men, who had been sullen for days, became quite 

 pleasant. Maite told us all sorts of stories about the 

 mountain. On its summit, surrounded by giant trees, 

 was a lake so deep that no one could fathom it. Strange 

 creatures, unlike anything existing in the country below, 

 inhabit its waters. Hidden in the clefts and caves of its 

 inaccessible crags were the gnomes and demons who keep 

 watch over its sacred precincts. They were probably 

 looking down upon us, rejoicing in our failure to reach 

 their abode. For hours our old Indian guide beguiled us 

 with the legends of his tribe regarding the mysterious 

 mountain we had left behind us. 



We had been paddling for some time and were looking 

 for a suitable spot for cooking, when a curassow uttered 

 its deep note quite close to the river's bank on our right. 

 We determined to try to kill it, so we landed Pedro 

 Asoque, who disappeared in the bushes with the idea of 

 securing what would be a welcome addition to our break- 

 fast. We were anxiously waiting to hear him fire, when 

 one of the men shouted out ' Danta, don Andre, Datita.' 

 Within a few yards of our boat, swimming rapidly with 



B 2 



