Up the Paraguay 49 



worked around them. At one such yard the Indians 

 were evidently part of the regular force. Their squaws 

 were with them, cooking at queer open-air ovens. One 

 small child had as pets a parrot and a young coati — a 

 kind of long-nosed raccoon. Loading wood, the Indians 

 stood in a line, tossing the logs from one to the other. 

 These Indians wore clothes. 



On this day we got into the tropics. Even in the heat 

 of the day the deck was pleasant under the awnings; 

 the sun rose and set in crimson splendor ; and the nights, 

 with the moon at the full, were wonderful. At night 

 Orion blazed overhead; and the Southern Cross hung 

 in the star-brilliant heavens behind us. But after the 

 moon rose the constellations paled; and clear in her 

 light the tree-clad banks stood on either hand as we 

 steamed steadily against the swirling current of the great 

 river. 



At noon on the twelfth we were at the Brazilian 

 boundary. On this day we here and there came on low, 

 conical hills close to the river. In places the palm groves 

 broke through the belts of deciduous trees and stretched 

 for a mile or so right along the river's bank. At times 

 we passed cattle on the banks or sand-bars, followed by 

 their herders ; or a handsome ranch-house, under a clus- 

 ter, of shady trees, some bearing a wealth of red and 

 some a wealth of yellow blossoms; or we saw a horse- 

 corral among the trees close to the brink, with the horses 

 in it and a barefooted man in shirt and trousers leaning 

 against the fence; or a herd of cattle among the palms; 

 or a big tannery or factory or a little native hamlet came 

 in sight. We stopped at one tannery. The owner was a 



