158 Through the Brazilian Wilderness 



maps made and much other scientific work accomplished, 

 but posts were established and telegraph-lines constructed. 

 When Colonel Rondon began the work he was a major. 

 He was given two promotions, to lieutenant-colonel and 

 colonel, while absent in the wilderness. His longest and 

 most important exploring trip, and the one fraught with 

 most danger and hardship, was begun by him in 1909, on 

 May 3d, the anniversary of the discovery of Brazil. He 

 left Tapirapoan on that day, and he reached the Madeira 

 River on Christmas, December 25, of the same year, hav- 

 ing descended the Gy-Parana. The mouth of this river 

 had long been known, but its upper course for half its 

 length was absolutely unknown when Rondon descended 

 it. Among those who took part under him in this piece of 

 exploration were the present Captain Amilcar and Lieu- 

 tenant Lyra; and two better or more efficient men for 

 such wilderness work it would be impossible to find. They 

 acted as his two chief assistants on our trip. In 1909 the 

 party exhausted all their food, including even the salt, by 

 August. For the last four months they lived exclusively 

 on the game they killed, on fruits, and on wild honey. 

 Their equipage was what the men could carry on their 

 backs. By the time the party reached the Madeira they 

 were worn out by fatigue, exposure, and semi-starvation, 

 and their enfeebled bodies were racked by fever. 



The work of exploration accomplished by Colonel 

 Rondon and his associates during these years was as re- 

 markable as, and in its results even more important than, 

 any similar work undertaken elsewhere on the globe at or 

 about the same time. Its value was recognized in Brazil. 



