266 



DESCENDING THE MAMORE. 



we were doing. He told them we lived in the north, and were inquir- 

 ing of the stars how far from home we were in their country. The fel- 

 lows ran off immediately and called others to come and see the North 

 Americans' home under the stars. One of them looked intently for 

 some time at the little twinkling image in the quicksilver, and gravely 

 told the others " it was far off." 



August 31. — The crew came down to the "canoe, bringing with them 

 their farinha and women ; this was a favorable sign for our getting off; 

 the captain, however, came to me and said he was very drunk, and 

 thought it best to put off our start until to-morrow ; but the men were 

 generally sober after their saint's day ; stowed our baggage neatly in 

 the canoe, kissed their children, and shook hands with their wives ; one 

 having been married lately to a good looking Indian, cried; but the 

 older ones took the departure more easy. The captain had a pretty 

 little daughter of twelve years of age, with whom he seemed very loth 

 to part, though he promised her to me as a wife when we returned. 

 The " cacique " of the town came down with the men, and superintended 

 the loading of the canoe. When we were all ready he made a speech, 

 telling the men what their duties were, and wished them a safe return 

 to their families. Each man stuck his bow and arrows, feathered-ends 

 up, near by him, between the baggage and the side of the canoe, as 

 they took their seats. We presented quite a " man of-war " exterior. 

 We pushed on down stream at rapid rate, leaving Don Antonio to fol- 

 bw to-morrow. Our canoe had a washboard all round her of six inches 

 breadth. We found our load, with crew, brought her down so deep we 

 took in water. The captain ran alongside of a perpendicular clay bank, 

 with which we caulked ship. We passed several canoes loaded with 

 sugar-cane, from the chacras on the way to the mill. 



The river holds about the same width — four hundred yards, fifty-four 

 feet deep, one mile and a half current per hour. We remained all night 

 at the port of San Martin — the lower port of Exaltacion. The bank is 

 thirty feet high, and steep. The distance from the town is not quite 

 a mile, but the conveniences for landing at Trapiche are the best. The 

 men asked permission to go to town and spend the night, promising to 

 return by daylight in the morning. The captain's wife appeared with 

 a jar of chicha ; and after the fire was made, supper over, and beds 

 made upon the bank, they went to town, and we slept upon the shore 

 near the boat. There was a house on the bank, but it was filled with 

 chickens and dogs, who were scratching themselves all night. The fire 

 on the shore disturbed an ant's nest, and they gave the party some 

 tronble ; they stung Mamore most unmercifully. W"e received another 



