2i6 Through the Brazilian Wilderness 



Our march continued through the same type of high, 

 nearly level upland, covered with scanty, scrubby forest. 

 It is the kind of country known to the Brazilians as cha- 

 padao— pronounced almost as if it were a French word 

 and spelled shapadon. Our camp on the fourth night 

 was in a beautiful spot, an open grassy space, beside a 

 clear, cool, rushing little river. We ourselves reached 

 this, and waded our beasts across the deep, narrow stream 

 in the late afternoon; and we then enjoyed a bath and 

 swim. The loose bullocks arrived at sunset, and with 

 shrill cries the mounted herdsmen urged them into and 

 across the swift water. The mule-train arrived long 

 after nightful, and it was not deemed wise to try to cross 

 the laden animals. Accordingly the loads were taken off 

 and brought over on the heads of the men; it was fine 

 to see the sinewy, naked figures bearing their burdens 

 through the broken moonlit water to the hither bank. 

 The night was cool and pleasant. We kindled a fire and 

 sat beside the blaze. Then, healthily hungry, we gath- 

 ered around the ox-hides to a delicious dinner of soup, 

 beef, beans, rice, and coffee. 



Next day we made a short march, crossed a brook, and 

 camped by another clear, deep, rapid little river, swollen 

 by the rains. All these rivers that we were crossing run 

 actually into the Juruena, and therefore form part of the 

 headwaters of the Tapajos ; for the Tapajos is a mighty 

 river, and the basin which holds its headwaters covers an 

 immense extent of country. This country and the adja- 

 cent regions, forming the high interior of western Brazil, 

 will surely some day support a large industrial popula- 

 tion; of which the advent would be hastened, although 



