130 THE TOCANTmS. Chap. IV. 



gularis) were numerous, flitting about and chirping like 

 sparrows. About half-past four p.m., we brought to at 

 the mouth of a creek or channel, where there was a 

 great extent of sandy beach. The sand had been blown 

 by the wind into ridges and undulations, and over the 

 moister parts large flocks of sandpipers were running 

 about. Alexandro and I had a long ramble over the 

 rolling plain, which came as an agreeable change after 

 the monotonous forest scenery amid which we had 

 been so long travelling. He pointed out to me the 

 tracks of a huge jaguar on the sand. We found here, 

 also, our first turtle's nest, and obtained 120 eggs from 

 it, which were laid at a depth of nearly two feet from 

 the surface, the mother first excavating a hole, and 

 afterwards covering it up with sand. The place is 

 discoverable only by following the tracks of the turtle 

 from the water. I saw here an alligator for the first 

 time, which reared its head and shoulders above the 

 water just after I had taken a bath near the spot. The 

 night was calm and cloudless, and we employed the 

 hours before bed-time in angling by moonlight. 



On the 10th we reached a small settlement called 

 Patos, consisting of about a dozen houses, and built on a 

 high, rocky bank, on the eastern shore. The rock is 

 the same nodular conglomerate which is found at so 

 many places, from the sea-coast to a distance of 600 

 miles up the Amazons. Mr. Leavens made a last 

 attempt here to engage men to accompany us to the 

 Araguaya ; but it was in vain ; not a soul could be 

 induced by any amount of wages to go on such an 

 expedition. The reports as to the existence of cedar 



