CHAPTER V 

 UP THE RIVER OF TAPIRS 



After leaving Caceres we went up the Sepotuba, which 

 in the local Indian dialect means River of Tapirs. This 

 river is only navigable for boats of size when the water 

 is high. It is a swift, fairly clear stream, rushing down 

 from the Plan Alto, the high uplands, through the tropical 

 lowland forest. On the right hand, or western bank, and 

 here and there on the left bank, the forest is broken by 

 natural pastures and meadows, and at one of these places, 

 known as Porto Campo, sixty or seventy miles above the 

 mouth, there is a good-sized cattle-ranch. Here we halted, 

 because the launch, and the two pranchas — native trading- 

 boats with houses on their decks — ^which it towed, could 

 not carry our entire party and outfit. Accordingly most 

 of the baggage and some of the party were sent ahead to 

 where we were to meet our pack-train, at Tapirapoan, 

 Meanwhile the rest of us made our first camp under tents 

 at Porto Campo, to wait the return of the boats. The 

 tents were placed in a line, with the tent of Colonel Ron- 

 don and the tent in which Kermit and I slept, in the mid- 

 dle, beside one another. In front of these two, on tall 

 poles, stood the Brazilian and American flags; and at sun- 

 rise and sunset the flags were hoisted and hauled down 

 while the trumpet sounded and all of us stood at attention. 

 Camp was pitched beside the ranch buildings. In the trees 

 near the tents grew wonderful violet orchids. 



132 



