THE JURUENA AND TAP A JOS RIVERS 203 



We kindled a fire and sat beside the blaze. Then, 

 healthily hungry, we gathered around the ox-hides to 

 a dehcious dinner of soup, beef, beans, rice, and coffee. 



Next day we made a short march, crossed a brook, 

 and camped by another clear, deep, rapid little river, 

 swollen by the rains. All these rivers that we were 

 crossing run actually into the Juruena, and therefore 

 form part of the headwaters of the Tapajos ; for the 

 Tapajos is a mighty river, and the basin which holds 

 its headwaters covers an immense extent of country. 

 This country and the adjacent regions, forming the high 

 interior of western Brazil, will surely some day support 

 a large industrial population ; of which the advent would 

 be hastened, although not necessarily in permanently 

 better fashion, if Colonel Rondon's anticipations about 

 the development of mining, especially gold-mining, are 

 realized. In any event the region will be a healthy 

 home for a considerable agricultural and pastoral popu- 

 lation. Above all, the many swift streams, with their 

 numerous waterfalls, some of great height and volume, 

 offer the chance for the upgrowth of a number of big 

 manufacturing communities, knit by railroads to one 

 another and to the Atlantic coast and the vaUeys of 

 the Paraguay, Madeira, and the Amazon, feeding and 

 being fed by the dwellers in the rich, hot, alluvial 

 lowlands that surround this elevated territory. The 

 work of Colonel Rondon and his associates of the 

 Telegraphic Commission has been to open this great 

 and virgin land to the knowledge of the world and to 

 the service of their nation. In doing so they have 

 incidentally founded the Brazilian school of exploration. 

 Before their day almost all the scientific and regular 

 exploration of Brazil was done by foreigners. But, of 

 course, there was much exploration and settlement by 



