304 Through the BraziHan Wilderness 



into the bag containing my cot, blanket, and mosquito- 

 net. I also carried a cartridge-bag containing my cart- 

 ridges, head-net, and gauntlets. Kermit cut down even 

 closer ; and the others about as close. 



The last three days of March we spent in getting to 

 the foot of the rapids in this gorge. Lyra and Kermit, 

 with four of the best watermen, handled the empty 

 canoes. The work was not only difficult and laborious 

 in the extreme, but hazardous ; for the walls of the gorge 

 were so sheer that at the worst places they had to cling 

 to narrow shelves on the face of the rock, while letting 

 the canoes down with ropes. Meanwhile Rondon sur- 

 veyed and cut a trail for the burden-bearers, and super- 

 intended the portage of the loads. The rocky sides of 

 the gorge were too steep for laden men to attempt to 

 traverse them. Accordingly the trail had to go over the 

 top of the mountain, both the ascent and the descent of 

 the rock-strewn, forest-clad slopes being very steep. It 

 was hard work to carry loads over such a trail. From 

 the top of the mountain, through an opening in the trees 

 on the edge of a cliflf, there was a beautiful view of the 

 country ahead. All around and in front of us there were 

 ranges of low mountains about the height of the lower 

 ridges of the AUeghanies. Their sides were steep and 

 they were covered with the matted growth of the tropical 

 forest. Our next camping-place, at the foot of the gorge, 

 was almost beneath us, and from thence the river ran in 

 a straight line, flecked with white water, for about a 

 kilometre. Then it disappeared behind and between 

 mountain ridges, which we supposed meant further 

 rapids. It was a view well worth seeing ; but, beautiful 



