72 VOYAGE UP THE TAPAJOS. Chap. II. 



Amazons country are constructed, and said to be more 

 durable than teak. This I hired of a merchant at the 

 cheap rate of 500 reis, or about one shilling and twopence 

 per day. I fitted up the cabin, which, as usual in canoes 

 of this class, was a square structure with its floor above 

 the water-line, as my sleeping and working apartment. 

 My chests, filled with store-boxes and trays for speci- 

 mens, were arranged on each side, and above them were 

 shelves and pegs to hold my little stock of useful books, 

 guns, and game bags, boards and materials for skinning 

 and preserving animals, botanical press and papers, 

 drying cages for insects and birds, and so forth. A rush 

 mat was spread on the floor, and my roiled-up hammock, 

 to be used only when sleeping ashore, served for a 

 pillow. The arched covering over the hold in the fore 

 part of the vessel contained, besides a sleej)ing place for 

 the crew, my heavy chests, stock of salt provisions and 

 groceries, and an assortment of goods wherewith to pay 

 my way amongst the half-civilised or savage inhabitants 

 of the interior. The goods consisted of cashaga, powder 

 and shot, a few pieces of coarse checked-cotton cloth 

 and prints, fish-hooks, axes, large knives, harpoons, 

 arrow-heads, looking-glasses, beads, and other small 

 wares. Jose and myself were busy for many days 

 arranging these matters. We had to salt the meat and 

 grind a supply of coffee ourselves. Cooking utensils, 

 crockery, water-jars, a set of useful carpenter's tools, and 

 many other things had to be provided. We put all the 

 groceries and other perishable articles in tin canisters 

 and boxes, having found that this was the only way of 

 preserving them from damp and insects in this climate. 



