BOUND FOR TAPIRAPOAN 149 



notice of the death of one of his gallant subordinates, 

 Captain Cardozo. He died from beriberi, far out 

 in the wilderness along our proposed line of march. 

 Colonel Rondon also received news that a boat ascend- 

 ing the Gy-Parana, to carry provisions to meet those of 

 our party who were to descend that stream, had been 

 upset, the provisions lost, and three men drowned. The 

 risk and hardship are such that the ordinary men, the 

 camaradas, do not like to go into the wilderness. The 

 men who go with the Telegraphic Commission on the 

 rougher and wilder work are paid seven times as much 

 as they earn in civilization. On this trip of ours Colonel 

 Rondon met with much difficulty in securing someone 

 who could cook. He asked the cook on the httle steamer 

 Nyoac to go with us ; but the cook with unaffected 

 horror responded : " Senhor, / have never done anything 

 to deserve punishment !" 



Five days after leaving us, the launch, with one of the 

 native trading-boats lashed alongside, returned. On the 

 13th we broke camp, loaded ourselves and all our 

 belongings on the launch and the house-boat, and 

 started up-stream for Tapirapoan. All told there were 

 about thirty men, with five dogs and tents, bedding and 

 provisions ; fresh beef, growing rapidly less fresh ; skins 

 — all and everything jammed together. 



It rained most of the first day and part of the first 

 night. After that the weather was generally overcast 

 and pleasant for travelling ; but sometimes rain and 

 torrid sunshine alternated. The cooking — and it was 

 good cooking — was done at a funny little open-air fire- 

 place, with two or three cooking-pots placed at the stern 

 of the house-boat. 



The fireplace was a platform of earth, taken from 

 ant-hills, and heaped and spread on the boards of the 



