DOWN AN UNKNOWN RIVER 299 



and had descended nearly 150 metres — the figures are ap- 

 proximate but fairly accurate.* We had lost four of the 

 canoes with which we started, and one other, which we 

 had built, and the life of one man; and the life of a dog 

 which by its death had in all probability saved the life of 

 Colonel Rondon. In a straight line northward, toward 

 our supposed destination, we had not made more than a 

 mile and a quarter a day; at the cost of bitter toil for most 

 of the party, of much risk for some of the party, and of 

 some risk and some hardship for all the party. Most of 

 the camaradas were downhearted, naturally enough, and 

 occasionally asked one of us if we really believed that we 

 should ever get out alive; and we had to cheer them up 

 as best we could. 



There was no change in our work for the time being. 

 We made but three kilometres that day. Most of the 

 party walked all the time; but the dugouts carried the 

 luggage until we struck the head of the series of rapids 

 which were to take up the next two or three days. The 

 river rushed through a wild gorge, a chasm or canyon, 

 between two mountains. Its sides were very steep, mere 

 rock walls, although in most places so covered with the lux- 

 uriant growth of the trees and bushes that clung in the 

 crevices, and with green moss, that the naked rock was 

 hardly seen. Rondon, Lyra, and Kermit, who were in 

 front, found a small level spot, with a beach of sand, and 

 sent back word to camp there, while they spent several 

 hours in exploring the country ahead. The canoes were 



*The first four days, before we struck the upper rapids, and during which 

 we made nearly seventy kilometres, are of course not included when I speak 

 of our making our way down the rapids. 



