RETURN TO CARIPI 



135 



About one o'clock we again stopped at the mouth of 

 a Httle creek. It was now intensely hot. Raimundo 

 said deer were found here, so he borrowed my gun, as 

 being a more effective weapon than the wretched arms 

 called Lazarinos, which he, in common with all the 

 native hunters, used, and which sell at Para for seven 

 or eight shillings apiece. Raimundo and Joaquim now 

 stripped themselves quite naked, and started off in 

 different directions through the forest, going naked in 

 order to move with less noise over the carpet of dead 

 leaves, amongst which they stepped so stealthily that 

 not the slightest rustle could be heard. The dogs re- 

 mained in the canoe, in the neighbourhood of which I 

 employed myself two hours entomologizing. At the end 

 of that time my two companions returned, having met 

 with no game whatever. 



We now embarked on our return voyage. Raimundo 

 cut two slender poles, one for a mast and the other for 

 a sprit : to these he rigged a sail we had brought in 

 the boat, for we were to return by the open river, and 

 expected a good wind to carry us to Caripi. As soon 

 as we got out of the channel we began to feel the wind — 

 the sea-breeze, which here makes a clean sweep from 

 the Atlantic. Our boat was very small and heavily 

 laden, and when, after rounding a point, I saw the great 

 breadth we had to traverse, seven miles, I thought the 

 attempt to cross in such a slight vessel foolhardy in the 

 extreme. The waves ran very high : there was no 

 rudder ; Raimundo steered with a paddle, and all we 

 had to rely upon to save as from falling into the trough 

 of the sea and being instantly swamped were his nerve 

 and skill. There was just room in the boat for our three 

 selves, the dogs, and the game we had killed, and when- 

 ever we fell in the hollow of a sea our instant destruction 

 seemed inevitable ; as it was, we shipped a little water 

 now and then. Joaquim assisted with his paddle to 

 steady the boat : my time was fully occupied in baling 

 out the water and watching the dogs, which were crowded 

 together in the prow, yelling with fear ; one or other of 

 them occasionally falling over the side and causing great 

 commotion in scrambling in again. Off the point was a 

 ridge of rocks, over which the surge raged furiously. . 

 Raimundo sat at the stern, rigid and silent ; his eye 

 steadily watching the prow of the boat. It was almost 



