TARAPOTO TO CANELOS 121 



capitally, and at 4 P.M. reached the port of Puca- 

 yacu. Here we found that the village was nearly 

 a mile from the river and elevated 250 feet above 

 it, the ascent being very steep and slippery. 1 We 

 climbed up to pay our respects to the Governor, and 

 then returned to sleep in the port, I and Don 

 Ignacio in our canoes, and the rest on a narrow 

 beach scarcely elevated 2 feet above the water. 

 The beach was margined by a bank of earth 6 feet 

 high, densely clad with overhanging trees and 

 bamboos, and then after a narrow strip of nearly 

 level ground rose a gentle acclivity. As we 

 supped at sundown, thunder was heard at no great 

 distance, and the heavens gradually became entirely 

 obscured by a dense mantle of clouds. The Indians, 

 who had gone up to the pueblo to take chica, now- 

 rejoined us and also prepared to pass the night 

 on the beach. We had scarcely resigned ourselves 

 to sleep, at about 9 o'clock, when the storm burst 

 over us, and the river almost simultaneously began 

 to rise ; speedily the beach was overflowed, the 

 Indians leaped into the canoes ; the waters con- 

 tinued to rise with great rapidity, coming in on us 

 every few minutes in a roaring surge which broke 

 under the canoes in whirlpools, and dashed them 

 against each other. The lianas by which the 

 canoes were tied had to be moved every now 

 then higher up the trees, and finally broke. 

 Indians held on by the branches, and fortunately 

 found two contiguous lianas of Bignonia, which 

 having cut below, they fastened to the prow of eac 

 canoe, their upper part being securely entv 



1 [By baroinctriiMl observation, Spi I tin 



village to be 425 metres = 1394 feet. I 



