NAVIGATION OK THE RIVER LEONA 20 r 



Leona. Cattle, whose knowledge of the subject under considera- 

 tion was of immense help, agreed with me in thinkin;^' llic thing- 

 could be done. 



Next day Burbury, who was, as I have said, a very fair engineer, 

 set to work with Bernardo's help to get the launch into working 

 order, while the rest of us went to cut and gather fuel. 



The two canvas boats which beloncred to the launch were later 

 found a couple of leagues down the shore, but a bit of wind began 

 to blow, so it was impossible to bring them up, and in the event 

 they had to be left where they were. 



In making ready the launch Burbury was much hampered by 

 hax'ing onl\- a small supply of screws to draw upon. Time and 

 exposure had dealt hardh' with her, her pump was strained as well 

 as being imperfect, some portion of it having been taken away. 

 The craft was about thirty-five feet long with a displacement of 

 about three parts of a ton. She was by no means an ideal boat 

 for the kind of navigation that lay before us, for which a good 

 wooden craft would have been much more safe and handy. Had 

 her length been less it would have been another advantage, as the 

 seas upon the lakes are very short. Weather-worn as she was, 

 however, she represented our sole chance of getting really deep 

 into the unpenetrated Cordillera. It was a case of take it or leave 

 it, and which of the two it was to be gave me some thought that 

 ni":ht. 



I could not conceal from myself that it was a peculiarK risky 

 affair taking her down the River Leona. The up-stream navigation 

 of the river had been made bv the launch when the Cnmmis- 

 sion brought her up-stream, towing her through the diflicult 

 places from the bank. But that, of course, was a very ditlerent 

 matter. 



The Leona is a comparatively large river, very cold, and running, 

 wli' n in flood, from five to eight knots an hour, with, in j)lacc-s. a 

 verv stron'' rip. There are a good manv rocks and shoals, but at 

 the time I write of the water was high, snow-fed by the warmili of 

 the preceding months, and therefore with luck we mi.nht hope to 

 slij) over most of the reefs in .safet\ . This was lorlunate. as 



