CHAP. XXVI.] VILLAGE OF WAYAPO. 129 



every comfort, and as bare and cheerless inside as out. It 

 was situated on a little elevated patch of coarse gravelly 

 soil, covered with the usual high rigid grass, which came 

 up close to the backs of the houses. At a short distance 

 in several directions were patches of forest, but all on low 

 and swampy ground. I made one attempt along the only 

 path I could find, but soon came upon a deep mud-hole, 

 and found that I must walk barefoot if at all ; so I returned 

 and deferred further exploration till after breakfast. I 

 then went on into the jungle and found patches of sago- 

 palms and a low forest vegetation, but the paths were every- 

 where full of mud-holes, and intersected by muddy streams 

 and tracts of swamp, so that walking was not pleasurable, 

 and too much attention to one's steps was not favou.rable to 

 insect catching, which requires above everything freedom of 

 motion. I shot a few birds, and caught a few butterflies, but 

 all were the same as I had already obtained about Cajeli. 



On my return to the village I was told that the same 

 kind of ground extended for many miles in every 

 direction, and I at once decided that Wayapo was 

 not a suitable place to stay at. The next morning 

 early we ,waded back again through the mud and long 

 wet grass to our boat, and by mid-day reached Cajeli, 

 where I waited All's return to decide on my future 

 movements. He came the following day, and gave a 

 very bad account of Pelah, where he had been. There was 



VOL. II. K 



