CONI CREEK. 201 



cal attention or any relief whatever. The poor creature seemed to bear 

 the pain with patience, but his stare was sickening as he looked up from 

 under the bushes. 



Two of the crew were engaged with small iron axes cutting sticks of 

 wood long enough to rest the ends on the inside of the canoe across the 

 bottom, so as to leave an inch or two space under this flooring for any 

 water to pass .clear of the baggage. Five of these floorings were laid 

 at equal distances apart, wide enough to place two trunks lengthwise, 

 and two more on top of them, with space between for two canoemen to 

 sit and paddle. Raw-hides were placed on the platforms, and on them 

 the baggage was neatly laid. Our trunks and boxes stowed very well, 

 and were covered with raw-hide. As the bottom of our boxes were 

 water-tight, we were satisfied that unless we upset or filled, the baggage 

 would go perfectly dry — an important matter in a wet climate under 

 the most favorable circumstances — and more so when there is no stop- 

 ping-places on the road from town to town, where the traveller can pick 

 up a dinner. 



Vines and creepers were bowed and fastened by the ends to the sides 

 of the after-part of the canoe, and over them were spread raw-hides, 

 hair side under, for the length of twelve feet. This was the cabin. Our 

 gun was slung overhead, powder-flask and shot-bag to the bows. The 

 instrument box was safely stowed inside, so that we might get at the 

 ruled paper, and chart the river. We set our compass inside also. The 

 floor of the cabin was a rustic grating made by one of the crew, with 

 small straight sticks fastened to a heavy' cross piece by means of a 

 slender creeper. Our %eds were kept in India-rubber bags. After 

 getting nearly ready, we found there still remained another load of salt 

 in the governor's house, and as night had come on and the rain began 

 to fall, we would be detained until the next day. Then, too, the school- 

 master and the disappointed ex-governor were to take.passage in the 

 same canoe ; it was their only chance like ours, and as there was no 

 telling when another canoe would be here, all claim a right to go. Of 

 course I could not object, under such circumstances, although they 

 would be very much in our way, as we were about to explore a critical 

 part of navigation on the upper waters of the Madeira. 



So our tent was pitched on the bank ; it had been our house on the 

 barren mountain-tops, and now it was put up in the wild woods. There 

 the climate was cold, and the tent protected and kept us warm. Here 

 the climate is fyt, and when the tent is closed and the canvass became 

 wet, we found the heat oppressive. We could not sleep, so we threw 

 open the door-way and in swarmed musquitoes. It was evident that 



