Appendix B 377 



aboard canoes. A four-ply bolt rope of best manilla, 

 made in New Bedford, Mass., should be taken. It is the 

 finest and most pliable line in the world, as any old 

 whaler will tell you. Get a sailor of the old school to 

 relay the coils before you go into the field so that the 

 rope will be ready for use. Five eighths to seven eighths 

 inch diameter is large enough. A few balls of marline 

 come in conveniently as also does heavy linen fish-line. 



A small-sized duflfel-bag should be provided for each 

 of the men as a container for hammock and net, spare 

 clothing, and mess-kit. A very small waterproof pouch 

 or bag should be furnished also for matches, tobacco, etc. 



The men should be limited to one duffel-bag each. 

 These bags should be numbered consecutively. In fact, 

 every piece in the entire equipment should be thus num- 

 bered and a list kept in detail in a book. 



The explorer should personally see that each of his 

 men has a hammock, net, and poncho ; for the native, if 

 left unsupervised, will go into the field with only the 

 clothing he has on. 



Food. — Though South America is rich in food and 

 food possibilities, she has not solved the problem of 

 living economically on her frontiers. The prices asked 

 for food in the rubber districts we passed through were 

 amazing. Five milreis (one dollar and fifty cents) was 

 cheap for a chicken, and eggs at five hundred reis (fifteen 

 cents) apiece were a rarity. Sugar was bought at the 

 rate of one to two milreis a kilo — in a country where 

 sugar-cane grows luxuriantly. The main dependence is 

 the mandioc, or farina, as it is called. It is the bread of 

 the country and is served at every meal. The native puts 



