THE RIVER OF DOUBT 279 



vida. We felt that the " River of Doubt " was an unusually- 

 good name; and it is always well to keep a name of this 

 character. But my kind friends insisted otherwise, and it 

 would have been churlish of me to object longer. I was 

 much touched by their action, and by the ceremony itself. 

 At the conclusion of the reading Colonel Rondon led in 

 cheers for the United States and then for me and for Ker- 

 mit; and the camaradas cheered with a will. I proposed 

 three cheers for Brazil and then for Colonel Rondon, and 

 Lyra, and the doctor, and then for all the camaradas. Then 

 Lyra said that everybody had been cheered except Cherrie; 

 and so we all gave three cheers for Cherrie, and the meet- 

 ing broke up in high good humor. 



Immediately afterward the walkers set off on their 

 march down-stream, looking for good canoe-trees. In a 

 quarter of an hour we followed with the canoes. As often 

 as we overtook them we halted until they had again gone 

 a good distance ahead. They soon found fresh Indian sign, 

 and actually heard the Indians; but the latter fled in 

 panic. They came on a little Indian fishing village, just 

 abandoned. The three low, oblong huts, of palm-leaves, 

 had each an entrance for a man on all fours, but no other 

 opening. They were dark inside, doubtless as a protec- 

 tion against the swarms of biting flies. On a pole in this 

 village an axe, a knife, and some strings of red beads were 

 left, with the hope that the Indians would return, find the 

 gifts, and realize that we were friendly. We saw further 

 Indian sign on both sides of the river. 



After about two hours and a half we came on a little 

 river entering from the east. It was broad but shallow, 

 and at the point of entrance rushed down, green and white, 



