814 THE GAPO. 



region in his canoe, passing through small streams, lakes, and 

 swamps, scraping the tree trunks, and stooping to pass be- 

 tween the leaves of the prickly palms, now level with the 

 water though raised on stems forty feet high while every- 

 where round him stretches out an illimitable waste of waters, 

 but all covered with the lofty virgin forest. In this trackless 



INDIAN INHABITANTS OF THE GAPO. 



maze, by slight indications of broken twigs or scraped bark, 

 he finds his way with unerring certainty. 



" This curious region," says Wallace, " extends from a little 

 above Santarem to the confines of Peru, a distance of about 

 1700 miles ; and varies in width on each side of the river 

 from one to ten or twenty miles." 



