250 A NATURALIST IN THE GUI AN AS 



nearest station where we could expect help. Between 

 the scene of our disaster and that distant station which 

 we meant to try to reach lay a stretch of impenetrable 

 forest devoid of any human habitation. The river was 

 rising daily. We would have to traverse many dangerous 

 rapids. Assuming that we should succeed in reaching the 

 falls of Para, might we not find that we had laboured in 

 vain ? I thought that it was fair to the men in a matter 

 which concerned them as nearly as it did myself that 

 they should be consulted. So I called them together and 

 put the question before them with the view of getting 

 the opinion of the majority. I pointed out that we might 

 try to build a boat, as we had saved a couple of axes in 

 the small boat, but that as this work would take us 

 several days we would find by the time we were ready 

 that our few provisions had been exhausted. There was 

 another plan, which appeared to me to be the best. 

 Besides the two men required to work it and the pro- 

 visions and effects which it could hold, the small boat 

 could carry two persons. The rest of the party would 

 walk along the banks, the boat meeting them at meal- 

 time and at night. As the men would have nothing to 

 carry we expected to be able to make fairly rapid progress. 

 Finally it was arranged that Kamon Kamirez with Maite 

 as patron should work the boat. As the Winchester rifle 

 and my twelve-bore had been saved, with some cartridges, 

 and as the men said that I could use these weapons better 

 than anyone else, they decided that I should go in the 

 boat along with Jacobson, who was unable to walk. A 

 horn which ' the Pirate ' had brought had been saved, 

 and it was agreed upon that we in the boat should blow 

 the horn at intervals so that the men cutting their waj' 

 through the forest might not wander away from the river. 



