282 DOWN AN UNKNOWN RIVER [chap, ix 



under the matted branches which stretched out from 

 the bank. They filled, and the racing current pinned 

 them where they were, one partly on the other. All of 

 us had to help get them clear. Their fastenings were 

 chopped asunder with axes. Kermit and half a dozen 

 of the men, stripped to the skin, made their way to 

 a small rock island in the Httle falls just above the 

 canoes, and let down a rope which we tied to the outer- 

 most canoe. The rest of us, up to our armpits and 

 barely able to keep our footing as we slipped and 

 stumbled among the boulders in the swift current, 

 lifted and shoved, while Kermit and his men pulled the 

 rope and fastened the slack to a half-submerged tree. 

 Each canoe in succession was hauled up the little rock 

 island, baled, and then taken down in safety by two 

 paddlers. It was nearly four o'clock before we were 

 again ready to start, having been delayed by a rain- 

 storm so heavy that we could not see across the river. 

 Ten minutes' run took us to the head of another series 

 of rapids ; the exploring party returned with the news 

 that we had an all day's job ahead of us ; and we made 

 camp in the rain, which did not matter much, as we 

 were already drenched through. It was impossible, 

 with the wet wood, to make a fire sufficiently hot to 

 dry all our soggy things, for the rain was still faUing. 

 A tapir was seen from our boat, but, as at the moment 

 we were being whisked round in a complete circle by 

 a whirlpool, I did not myself see it in time to shoot. 



Next morning we went down a kilometre, and then 

 landed on the other side of the river. The canoes were 

 run down, and the loads carried to the other side of 

 a little river coming in from the west, which Colonel 

 Rondon christened Cherrie River. Across this we 

 went on a bridge consisting of a huge tree felled by 



