Chap. XV. ATTEMPT TO CROSS THE TAMBOPATA. 25:3 



mouth of the Yana-mayu'' or Black river ; and attempted to 

 wade across the Tambopata, but found it too powerful. I 

 was particularly anxious to effect this, as Martinez assured 

 me that chinchona-trees were most abundant on the right or 

 eastern bank. We, however, managed to get upon an island, 

 near the left bank, and encamped for the night on a shingly 

 beach. After sunset it came on to rain very heavily, and the 

 waters foamed furiously around us in the inky darkness. The 

 rain continued to pour down, and the waters to rise through 

 the night, and 1 hourly expected the island to be submerged ; 

 but, fortunately, we escaped this danger, though the river 

 came up to within a very few feet of the tent-door. I sciwed 

 out a dram of brandy to all hands. 



In the morning of May 3rd I continued my attempts to 

 cross the river, by stripping and trying the water for a ford at 

 several points, with a long pole as a support. But the water 

 was deep, much swollen, and very rapid ; and, after having 

 twice been as nearly as possible carried away by the fiiry of 

 the stream, I was obliged unwillingly to give up the attempt 

 for the present. I considered it prudent also to remove our 

 encampment from the island, and to establish it on a narrow 

 beach overshadowed by the forest, at the point where the 

 muddy waters of the Yana-mayu unite with those of the 

 Tambopata. 



These arrangements having been made, we devoted the day 

 to an examination of the adjacent forest. The spot on which we 

 were encamped was about 4600 feet above the sea. Our tent 

 was pitched close to the foaming torrent, and behind rose up 

 the tall dark forests. In front were the steep green sides of 

 the Yana-mayu ravine, while looking do^vn the river the view 

 was bounded by forest-covered mountains, surmounted by 

 the lofty peak of Corimamaui. On the actual banks of the 



* Yana, in Quic'Inin, is Mack; iuul mayu a river. 



