CHAPTER IV 

 THE HEADWATERS OF THE PARAGUAY 



AT Corumba our entire party, and all their belongings, 

 came aboard our good little river boat, the Nyoac. Christ- 

 mas Day saw us making our way steadily up-stream against 

 the strong current, and between the green and beautiful 

 banks of the upper Paraguay. The shallow little steamer 

 was jammed with men, dogs, rifles, partially cured skins, 

 boxes of provisions, ammunition, tools, and photographic 

 supplies, bags containing tents, cots, bedding, and clothes, 

 saddles, hammocks, and the other necessaries for a trip 

 through the "great wilderness/' the "matto grosso" of 

 western Brazil. 



It was a brilliantly clear day, and, although of course 

 in that latitude and at that season the heat was intense 

 later on, it was cool and pleasant in the early morning. 

 We sat on the forward deck, admiring the trees on the 

 brink of the sheer river banks, the lush, rank grass of the 

 marshes, and the many water-birds. The two pilots, one 

 black and one white, stood at the wheel. Colonel Ron- 

 don read Thomas a Kempis. Kermit, Cherrie, and Miller 

 squatted outside the railing on the deck over one paddle- 

 wheel and put the final touches on the jaguar-skins. Fiala 

 satisfied himself that the boxes and bags were in place. 

 It was probable that hardship lay in the future; but the 

 day was our own, and the day was pleasant. In the eve- 

 ning the after-deck, open all around, where we dined, was 



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