260 THE RIVER OF DOUBT [chap, viii 



ately proceeded with the work of the portage. From 

 the head to the tail of this series of rapids the distance 

 was about six hundred yards. A path was cut along 

 the bank, over which the loads were brought. The 

 empty canoes ran the rapids without mishap, each with 

 two skilled paddlers. One of the canoes almost ran 

 into a swimming tapir at the head of the rapids ; it went 

 down the rapids, and then climbed out of the river. 

 Kermit, accompanied by Joao, went three or four mUes 

 down the river, looking for the body of Simplicio and 

 for the sunk canoe. He found neither. But he found 

 a box of provisions and a paddle, and salvaged both by 

 swimming into mid-stream after them. He also found 

 that a couple of kilometres below there was another 

 stretch of rapids, and following them on the left-hand 

 bank to the foot he found that they were worse than 

 the ones we had just passed, and impassable for canoes 

 on this left-hand side. 



We camped at the foot of the rapids we had just 

 passed. There were many small birds here, but it was 

 extremely difficult to see or shoot them in the lofty 

 tree-tops, and to find them in the tangle beneath if they 

 were shot. However, Cherrie got four species new to 

 the collection. One was a tiny hummer, one of the 

 species known as woodstars, with dainty but not 

 brilhant plumage ; its kind is never found except in the 

 deep, dark woods, not coming out into the sunshine. 

 Its crop was filled with ants ; when shot it was feeding 

 at a cluster of long red flowers. He also got a very 

 handsome trogon and an exquisite Httle tanager, as 

 brilliant as a cluster of jewels ; its throat was hlac, its 

 breast turquoise, its crown and forehead topaz, while 

 above it was glossy purple-black, the lower part of the 

 back ruby-red. This tanager was a female ; I can 



