CHAPTER IV 



THE HEADWATERS OF THE PARAGUAY 



At Corumba our entire party, and all their belong- 

 ings, came aboard our good little river boat, the Nyoac. 

 Christmas Day saw us making our way steadily up- 

 stream against the strong current, and between the 

 green and beautiful banks of the upper Paraguay. The 

 shallow Uttle steamer was jammed with men, dogs, 

 rifles, partially cured skins, boxes of provisions, ammu- 

 nition, tools, and photographic suppKes, bags containing 

 tents, cots, bedding, and clothes, saddles, hammocks, 

 and the other necessaries for a trip through the "great 

 wUderness," the " matto grosso " of Western Brazil. 



It was a brilliantly clear day, and, although of course 

 in that latitude and at that season the heat was intense 

 later on, it was cool and pleasant in the early morning. 

 We sat on the forward deck, admiring the trees on the 

 brink of the sheer river banks, the lush, rank grass of the 

 marshes, and the many water-birds. The two pilots, 

 one black and one white, stood at the wheel. Colonel 

 Rondon read Thomas a Kempis. Kermit, Cherrie, and 

 Miller squatted outside the railing on the deck over one 

 paddle-wheel and put the final touches on the jaguar- 

 skins. Fiala satisfied himself that the boxes and bags 

 were in place. It was probable that hardship lay in the 

 future ; but the day was our own, and the day was 



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