THE START 9 



the trip could be made of much scientific value, and that 

 a substantial addition could be made to the geographical 

 knowledge of one of the least-known parts of South America. 

 Accordingly, it was arranged that Colonel Rondon and 

 some assistants and scientists should meet me at or below 

 Corumba, and that we should attempt the descent of the 

 river, of which they had already come across the head- 

 waters. 



I had to travel through Brazil, Uruguay, the Argentine, 

 and Chile for six weeks to fulfil my speaking engagements. 

 Fiala, Cherrie, Miller, and Sigg left me at Rio, continuing 

 to Buenos Aires in the boat in which we had all come 

 down from New York. From Buenos Aires they went up 

 the Paraguay to Corumba, where they awaited me. The 

 two naturalists went first, to do all the collecting that was 

 possible; Fiala and Sigg travelled more leisurely, with the 

 heavy baggage. 



Before I followed them I witnessed an incident worthy 

 of note from the standpoint of a naturalist, and of pos- 

 sible importance to us because of the trip we were about 

 to take. South America even more than Australia and 

 Africa, and almost as much as India, is a country of poi- 

 sonous snakes. As in India, although not to the same 

 degree, these snakes are responsible for a very serious mor- 

 tality among human beings. One of the most interesting 

 evidences of the modern advance in Brazil is the estab- 

 lishment near Sao Paulo of an institution especially for 

 the study of these poisonous snakes, so as to secure anti- 

 dotes to the poison and to develop enemies to the snakes 

 themselves. We wished to take into the interior with us 



