DEPARTURE FOR THE AMAZON. 



277 



Pedro, the pilot, was an Amazonian Indian, quite lazy and not worth 

 much, though his services were needed, as he was the only one in*the 

 party who had navigated the Madeira. The soldiers were supplied with 

 a decent suit of uniform, ammunition, muskets, and farinha. We were 

 obliged to reduce our baggage ; even the jerked beef had to be dimin- 

 ished in quantity, as well as the men's provisions. The boat was too 

 small when we were all on board to float lively. Four of the soldiers 

 took their seats in the bow as paddlers. Mamore mounted the baggage, 

 with Pedro as pilot; while "Titto," the sergeant, a stout, well-built 

 negro, stood up behind us and steered the boat. The commandante 

 gave me a passport for the crew, with an account of the public property 

 in their charge. Don Antonio entrusted me with a remittance to his 

 father, which was the only sign we had from the people that we would 

 ever gain the mouth of the Madeira. To him we are indebted for many 

 prominent kindnesses. If he had not been here we certainly would 

 either have gone to Rio Janeiro by the mail-route, or tried that from 

 Cuayaba, down the Paraguay, to Buenos Ayres. 



At midday, on the 14th of September, 1852, we parted with Don 

 Antonio, who expected to be two years longer trading off the cargoes 

 of his two small boats, which he left at Exaltacion during a voyage to 

 Matto Grosso. He appears disappointed with his undertaking, and de- 

 clares he never will make such a voyage again. He supports a party 

 of twelve people. They remain by him in idleness during the time he 

 is occupied disposing of his cargo, each man drawing regular pay, from 

 four to six dollars a month. As our little boat passed swiftly down the 

 current among the rocks, the men paddled as though they feared being 

 recalled. They all sang as we bid farewell to the grim old fort. The 

 commandante treated us with marked attention, and appeared sorry to 

 let us go so soon. He said he had spent several years in his younger 

 career as an officer at the fort. Officers generally shrunk from orders 

 here, for the place had the name of being unhealthy. After the death 

 of its last commander, he had been selected for the station because he 

 was acclimated. 



There is a horrible disease among the soldiers, called the " Fort fe- 

 ver," which, for the want of medicine, slowly destroys the garrison. We 

 found the climate quite pleasant, but its general character is any thing 

 but favorable from reports. 



Thirty miles below the fort I sealed a bottle, and threw it into the 

 Itenez river, with a note inside, requesting the finder to enclose it to 

 Washington city. .Titto was somewhat surprised at what he saw us 

 doing, and inquired who the note in the bottle was directed to, and 



