2G4 IN THE WILDS OF SOUTH AMERICA 



tures were made as to the probable date of the return of 

 that expedition. 



Before embarking on the unknown river Colonel Roose- 

 velt had requested me to wait for him should I reach Ma- 

 naos first, and in the event of his arriving in advance of 

 our party he would await our return. I therefore spent a 

 pleasant week in the city, and was treated with the utmost 

 courtesy by the governor and the inhabitants. 



I had become acquainted with a Senhor Ramos, who in- 

 vited me to visit a ranch he was opening some distance up 

 the Solimoes, so I accompanied him, hoping to add new 

 treasures to the large collections we had brought from the 

 Gy-Parana and the Madeira. After spending a profitable 

 week at this fazenda we repaired to another locality on a 

 different branch of the river. 



The latter region proved fully as interesting as the first, 

 but scarcely had we become well established in our new 

 surroundings than we were awakened one morning about 

 one o'clock by the sharp blasts of a siren from the river 

 below. We reached the water's edge in a few moments, 

 and there found a large steam-launch resting at anchor, 

 the captain of which brought the good news that the long- 

 absent expedition had arrived at Manaos. Half an hour 

 later we were aboard, steaming at full speed down the 

 river, arriving about seven o'clock in the city. 



The story of Colonel Roosevelt's experiences on the un- 

 explored river is well known. Owing to illness during the 

 many weeks' struggle against all but insurmountable diffi- 

 culties, he had wasted to a mere shadow of his former self; 

 but his unbounded enthusiasm remained undiminished. 



Shortly after noon on May 1 we boarded the S. S. Dun- 

 stan, on which we proceeded down the Amazon to Para, 

 and at that city transferred to the Aiden for the long, un- 

 eventful voyage home. 



