138 
My Tapir Skeleton is Stole jr. 
rope had been bitten tliroiigli and the skeleton gone. The Indians dived 
down and examined the river bottom, but in vain : my carefully prepared 
treasure had disappeared. But Avho was the impudent thief? I had 
asc-ribed a loud splashing during the night to the fishes. Every search 
and enquiry remained fruitless. 
ooO. The trigonometrical survey was completed, Mr. Goodall recov- 
ered of his fever, and we intended resuming our journey on the following 
morning, a tiiue to which we were keenly looking forAvard while lying in 
our hammocks witli hands and face thickly wrapped in towels ai-ound 
which thousands upon thousands of the plaguey little devils were swarm- 
ing to find an uncovered spot, when Awacaipu, our Arekuna, marched into 
the tent and asked for the "small gun" [Kleine Flinte:), as they call a 
rifle. In reply to our questioning what he wanted it for, he said that he 
had noticed a whacking big creature below the old tree trunk that stretch- 
ed out over the water a few paces from the camp. Being inquisitive, we, 
with other Indians, accompanied him to the spot and certainlj' recognised 
a huge head, but owing to the strong ripples on the surface which often 
magnified, often diminished it, we were at first unable to make out 
Vk hether it belonged to souie unknown i-eptile or to a fish. Our valiant 
llendrick quickly picked a favourable spot and fired at the doubtful uion- 
ster which, angrily striking with its tail aud body writhed in convulsions, 
sauk to the bottom of the river. After the surface had become smooth 
again, one could see the dark body lyiug in the none too deep water, 
"w ithout, howevei'. our being freed of the uncertainty as to Avhat sort of 
au aniuial it was. It was now up to us to bring the puzzling creature to 
laud : we could expect no assistance from the Indians for they had all col- 
lected at some distance from the Avaterside where they Avatched our prO' 
ceedings with fright and surprise. According to Awacaipu's account the 
monster could be none other than the Tuna-nianm (Water-mama), the 
Spirit of the River, which they imiversally dread. As Hendrick's call to 
them for assistance was in vain, he himself found a means of raising the 
creature out of the water, and after several attempts drove a strong 
harpoon-like arroAV* into its scales. The heavy carcass rose under our 
united efforts when the claAVs of a kaiman appeared on the surface. The 
vigorous moA'ements of the leg, as well as the poAverful jerking and tug- 
ging showed clearly enough that the aniuial had in no way breathed its 
last. Another bullet, skilfully shot by Hendrick between the neck and 
shoulder, made us let go of the harpoon owiug to the tugging having 
become too strong, but the white of the belly Avhich scon shone up at us 
from beloAA', indicated that the object desired had succeeded. As soon 
as the Indians Avere couA'inced that what Hendrick's stalwai't arm had 
AAounded Avas not a Tuna-mama, they all came to help: a corial was 
bi'ought up, one of the fore-legs Avas soon fastened to a rope, and the huge 
beast dragged on to the sandbank. The sunshine seemed to give it a neAV 
lease of life, for tliough believed to be dead, the brute began to' stir, put 
up a threatening defensive, and droA^e all of us out of its immediate 
vicinity. When the flying column returned to its post, a council of war 
was held as to hoAv best to seize and oA^erpower the beast. The 
resolution Avas passed quicker than T thought. Several Indians hurried 
off and returned with long thick heavy poles: the most daring of them 
