PURITY OF THE WATER 431 



It was about one o'clock in the afternoon when we 

 again reached the spot where we had first struck the 

 banks of the larger pool. We had hitherto had but poor 

 sport, so after dining on the remains of our fried fish and 

 farinha, and smoking our cigarettes, the apparatus for 

 making which, including bamboo tinder-box and steel 

 and flint for striking a light, being carried by every one 

 always on these expeditions, we made off in another 

 (westerly) direction through the forest to try to find 

 better hunting-ground. We quenched our thirst with 

 water from the pool, which I was rather surprised to find 

 quite pure. These pools are, of course, sometimes fouled 

 for a time by the movements of alligators and other 

 tenants in the fine mud which settles at the bottom, but 

 I never observed a scum of confervae or traces of oil re- 

 vealing animal decomposition on the surface of these 

 waters, nor was there ever any foul smell perceptible. 

 The whole of this level land, instead of being covered with 

 unwholesome swamps emitting malaria, forms in the dry 

 season (and in the wet also) a most healthy country. 

 How elaborate must be the natural processes of self- 

 purification in these teeming waters ! 



On our fresh route we were obliged to cut our way 

 through a long belt of bamboo underwood, and not being 

 so careful of my steps as my companions, I trod repeatedly 

 on the flinty thorns which had fallen from the bushes, 

 finishing by becoming completely lame, one thorn having 

 entered deeply into the sole of my foot. I was obliged 

 to be left behind j Lino, the Indian, remaining with me. 

 The careful fellow cleaned my wounds with his saliva, 

 placed pieces of isca (the felt-like substance manufactured 

 by ants) on them to staunch the blood, and bound my 

 feet with tough bast to serve as shoes, which he cut from 

 the bark of a Monguba tree. He went about his work 

 in a very gentle way and with much skill, but was so 

 sparing of speech that I could scarcely get answers to the 

 questions I put to him. When he had done, I was able 

 to limp about pretty nimbly. An Indian when he per- 

 forms a service of this kind never thinks of a reward. 

 I did not find so much disinterestedness in negro slaves or 

 half-castes. We had to wait two hours for the return 

 of our companions ; during part of this time I was left 

 quite alone. Lino having started off into the jungle after 

 a peccary (a kind of wild hog) which had come near to 



