256 A NATURALIST IN THE GUIANAS 



trees, which the men said would suit our purpose. We 

 crossed over in batches, the boat making three trips, and 

 we estabhshed ourselves at the mouth of a small stream 

 which the men considered a good place for constructing 

 the raft. A party, headed by Kamon Eamirez, went into 

 the forest and were soon engaged, as we could tell by the 

 sound of the axes, cutting down trees. Jacobson, Ville- 

 gente, Mateo, Maite, and Pancho the cook, remained in 

 camp with me. Maite fished at the mouth of the stream 

 and succeeded in catching four Aymaras, so for that day 

 we had sufficient food. To add to our troubles it rained 

 heavily the whole afternoon, and our camp was invaded 

 by swarms of flies, which fell into our food and got 

 into our eyes. It was impossible to drive them away. 

 Although we killed hundreds their numbers increased 

 until dark, when they went away almost suddenly, to 

 return with daylight on the following morning. Heavy 

 rain with lightning and thunder the whole night. The 

 rainy season had broken upon us in full force. 



May 2. — The men continued working at the raft, 

 which was completed at midday ; they then floated it out 

 of the stream and moored it along the bank of the main 

 river. It was arranged that we would make a start 

 immediately after breakfast, so the men loaded the small 

 boat, after which we ate some boiled beans, and those 

 who intended going on the raft went down to the water's 

 edge while we took our places in the boat. It did not 

 take long for the men to find out that the clumsy affair 

 they had put together would never float them down the 

 river. As soon as they pushed off, the raft, unable to 

 bear their weight in the strong current, began to sink 

 slowly. Luckily this happened quite close to the shore, 

 so that those on board reached land without difliculty, 



