264 THE RIVER OF DOUBT [chap, viii 



us got his personal belongings down to one box or 

 duffel-bag — although there was only a small diminution 

 thus made — because we had so little that the only way 

 to make a serious diminution was to restrict ourselves 

 to the clothes on our backs. 



The biting flies and ants were to us a source of 

 discomfort, and at times of what could fairly be called 

 torment. But to the camaradas, most of whom went 

 barefoot or only wore sandals — and they never did or 

 would wear shoes — the effect was more serious. They 

 wrapped their legs and feet in pieces of canvas or hide ; 

 and the feet of three of them became so swollen that 

 they were crippled, and could not walk any distance. 

 The doctor, whose courage and cheerfulness never 

 flagged, took excellent care of them. Thanks to him, 

 there had been among them hitherto but one or two 

 slight cases of fever. He administered to each man 

 daily a half-gram — nearly eight grains — of quinine, and 

 every third or fourth day a double dose. 



The following morning Colonel Rondon, Lyra, 

 Kermit, Cherrie, and nine of the camaradas started in 

 single file down the bank, while the doctor and I went 

 in the two double canoes, with six camaradas, three of 

 them the invalids with swollen feet. We halted con- 

 tinually, as we went about three times as fast as the 

 walkers ; and we traced the course of the river. After 

 forty minutes' actual going in the boats, we came to 

 some rapids ; the unloaded canoes ran them without 

 difficulty, while the loads were portaged. In an hour 

 and a half we were again under way, but in ten minutes 

 came to other rapids, where the river ran among islands, 

 and there were several big curls. The clumsy, heavily- 

 laden dugouts, lashed in couples, were unwieldy and 

 hard to handle. The rapids came just round a sharp 



