up the River of Tapirs 165 



of toucans, conspicuous even among the tree tops because 

 of their huge bills and the leisurely expertness with which 

 they crawled, climbed, and hopped among the branches. 

 We went by several f azendas. 



Shortly before noon — January 16 — we reached 

 Tapirapoan, the headquarters of the Telegraphic Com- 

 mission. It was an attractive place, on the river-front, 

 and it was gayly bedecked with flags, not only those of 

 Brazil and the United States, but of all the other Ameri- 

 can republics, in our honor. There was a large, green 

 square, with trees standing in the middle of It. On one 

 side of this square were the buildings of the Telegraphic 

 Commission, on the other those of a big ranch, of which 

 this is the headquarters. In addition, there were stables, 

 sheds, outhouses, and corrals; and there were cultivated 

 fields near by. Milch cows, beef-cattle, oxen, and mules 

 wandered almost at will. There were two or three 

 wagons and carts, and a traction automobile, used in the 

 construction of the telegraph-line, but not available in the 

 rainy season, at the time of our trip. 



Here we were to begin our trip overland, on pack- 

 mules and pack-oxen, scores of which had been gathered 

 to meet us. Several days were needed to apportion the 

 loads and arrange for the several divisions in which it was 

 necessary that so large a party should attempt the long 

 wilderness march, through a country where there was not 

 much food for man or beast, and where it was always 

 possible to run into a district in which fatal cattle or 

 horse diseases were prevalent. Fiala, with his usual effi- 

 ciency, took charge of handling the outfit of the Ameri- 

 can portion of the expedition, with Sigg as an active and 



