EXPLORATION OF THE DtJVIDA 231 



their husbands or fathers had been killed; for the 

 Nhambiquaras are light-hearted robbers and murderers. 

 Two or three miserable dogs accompanied them, half- 

 starved and mangy, but each decorated with a collar of 

 beads, The headmen had three or four wives apiece, 

 and the women were the burden-bearers, but apparently 

 were not badly treated. Most of them were dirty, 

 although looking well-fed, and their features were of 

 a low type ; but some, especially among the children, 

 were quite attractive. 



From Bonafacio we went about seven miles, across 

 a rolling prairie dotted with trees and clumps of scrub. 

 There, on February 24, we joined Amilcar, who was 

 camped by a brook which flowed into the Duvida. We 

 were only some six miles from our place of embarkation 

 on the Duvida, and we divided our party and our 

 belongings. Amilcar, Miller, Mello, and Oliveira were 

 to march three days to the Gy-Parana, and then 

 descend it, and continue down the Madeira to Manaos. 

 Rondon, Lyra, the doctor, Cherrie, Kermit, and I, with 

 sixteen paddlers, in seven canoes, were to descend the 

 Duvida, and find out whether it led into the Gy-Parana, 

 into the Madeira, or into the Tapajos. If within a few 

 days it led into the Gy-Parana, our purpose was 

 to return and descend the Ananas, whose outlet was 

 also unknown. Having this in view, we left a fortnight's 

 provisions for our party of six at Bonafacio. We took 

 with us provisions for about fifty days, not full rations, 

 for we hoped in part to live on the country — on fish, 

 game, nuts, and palm-tops. Our personal baggage was 

 already well cut down : Cherrie, Kermit, and I, took 

 the naturalist's fly to sleep under, and a very light little 

 tent extra for anyone who might fall sick. Rondon, 

 Lyra, and the doctor took one of their own tents. The 



