344 Through the Brazilian Wilderness 



bird of very archaic type. Its flight is feeble, and the 

 naked young have spurs on their wings, by the help of 

 which they crawl actively among the branches before their 

 feathers grow. They swim no less easily, at the same 

 early age. Miller got one or two nests, and preserved 

 specimens of the surroundings of the nests ; and he made 

 exhaustive records of the habits of the birds. Near Me- 

 gasso a jaguar had killed one of the bullocks that were 

 being driven along for food. The big cat had not seized 

 the ox with its claws by the head, but had torn open its 

 throat and neck. 



Every one was most courteous at Manaos, especially 

 the governor of the state and the mayor of the city. Mr. 

 Robiliard, the British consular representative, and also 

 the representative of the Booth line of steamers, was par- 

 ticularly kind. He secured for us passages on one of the 

 cargo-boats of the line to Para, and thence on one of the 

 regular cargo-and-passenger steamers to Barbadoes and 

 New York. The Booth people were most courteous to us. 



I said good-by to the camaradas with real friendship 

 and regret. The parting gift I gave to each was in gold 

 sovereigns ; and I was rather touched to learn later that 

 they had agreed among themselves each to keep one sov- 

 ereign as a medal of honor and token that the owner had 

 been on the trip. They were a fine set, brave, patient, 

 obedient, and enduring. Now they had forgotten their 

 hard times ; they were fat from eating, at leisure, all they 

 wished; they were to see Rio Janeiro, always an object 

 of ambition with men of their stamp ; and they were very 

 proud of their membership in the expedition. 



Later, at Belen, I said good-by to Colonel Rondon, 



