6 OUR SEARCH FOR A WILDERNESS. 



sky overhead and the muddy depths beneath. The tide had 

 reached its highest, and, like the living creatures of the 

 jungle, rested in the midday heat. The captain gave a gruff 

 order in Spanish, and the anchor splashed into the water, 

 dragging the chain after with a sudden roar and jangle which 

 echoed from shore to shore jarring the silence as would a 

 shriek of pain in a cathedral. 



A chatter came from the mangroves near at hand, and 

 high up among the dense foliage we saw the first life of the 

 continent a wistful little human face gazing out at us, 

 a capuchin monkey striving with wrinkled brows to make 

 out what we were. At his call two others came and looked; 

 then, as our sail came down with a rattle of halyards, the 

 trio fled through the branches with all the speed which four 

 hands and a tail could lend. 



We spent the afternoon in getting our floating home ready 

 for use. No more waves would be encountered, so every- 

 thing was unlashed. Stereo-glasses, camera-plates, and am- 

 munition were placed ready to hand; the galley stove was 

 moved far forward, and a mosquito-proof tent of netting was 

 erected under the tarpaulin in the stern. 



The sun had sunk low in the west when we saw a long, 

 narrow dug-out canoe coming downstream. An Indian 

 woman and her baby were crouched in the bow, while in the 

 stern a naked Indian paddled swiftly and silently. His skin 

 shone like coppery bronze in the sunlight, his long black hair 

 was bound back from his face by a thong of hide. In front 

 of him rested a bow and arrows and a long fish-spear. Silently 

 he approached and in silence he passed unheeding our 

 salutations. 



One more beauty of this wild wonderland was vouchsafed 

 us before night fell. We had been disappointed in the birds. 

 Where were the myriads of water-fowl of which we had 

 heard ? We had seen nothing not a single feather. But 



