PARA 279 



in the morning the whirlpool did not present that terrify- 

 ing appearance which, more than anything else, had contri- 

 buted to the men's mutinous and unreasoning behaviour. 



The Caura is remarkable for the height to which its 

 waters will rise in a few hours, to fall at times just as 

 rapidly. After the departure of the men I lay down and 

 rested during the afternoon. Villegente did not reach us 

 to-day, so I sent Freddy with some boiled beans to meet 

 him in the forest. When my boy returned he told me 

 that the old taxidermist would not be able to overtake us 

 until the morrow, as he could only crawl on his hands 

 and knees. The men had refused to help him, probably 

 because he had made himself exceedingly unpopular with 

 them, although they gave as a reason that they wanted 

 all their strength to get the boat to the water. They 

 returned late, with the welcome news that they had hauled 

 the boat forward a part of the way, and that they hoped, 

 if things went well, we would be able to leave Para the 

 day after to-morrow. 



May 21. — Passed so bad a night that I can scarcely 

 move to-day. "We have some tea and about as much 

 mouldy beans remaining as will last us until we leave 

 Para to-morrow afternoon — that is, if we can succeed 

 in doing so. I am subsisting almost entirely on strong 

 unsweetened tea, all I can get dowa at a time of the 

 mouldy beans without salt being a mouthful or two. Of 

 this unpalatable food the men devour whole platefuls, yet 

 they complain of hunger and weakness. When the men 

 came in during the afternoon, they said that they expected 

 to launch the boat at noon on the following day. Felt 

 terribly hungry the whole night, and could think of 

 nothing but food. Dull gnawing pains in the stomach. 



