232 
The i'msT Occasion I Shoot a Rapid. 
520. Having noticed with wliat enthusiasm during my 
first stay amongst them, I had collected their mammals, birds, 
weapons, and decorations for which I had gladly given them 
knives and similar things in exchange, the j)eople at the settle- 
ment had, during my absence, sliot everything that they had 
come across, but unfortunately skinned tliem in a manner and style that 
rendered the treasures useless. I regretted this most of all with the 
pelts of some savannah dogs and the silky little skin of the Mijnncco- 
pJiof/a di(l(ictt/]a. I was all t1ie more keen on buying living animals 
brought to market because I found that the whole of my menagerie that 
had been left behind was dcafl. The lai-ge rock-crystals tliat they offered 
to exchange were darkly iiii]»iTguate(l Avitli manganese oxide: according 
to the statements of the Indians, the Portuguese had alrea<ly carried oft" 
all the clear ones. 
521. We liad little or no provisions (o expect al IMiaia, and IIkmc- 
fore utilised the present favourable opportunity offered by the ])resence 
of the numerous assemblage in buying up everything that was eatable and 
palatable, particularly a large quantity of maize. • 
522. We had successfully managed the Cotinga on the u]»stream: 
what the douldy dangerous tri]i down it was going to be like, we had yet 
to wait and see. At every fall the expensive astronomical instruments 
had to be protected from accident, for which reason they had to be 
carried to the mouth of the Mawitzi where the most dangerous rapids of 
the Cotinga ended. The number of Indians required for the purpose was 
soon oMained, and by the IGth December, Mr. Goodall left with them 
for that direction. The gaps that resulted in the nuud)ers of our 
paddlers by dividing the company, were quickly tilled by villagers of 
Torong-Yauwise, and accompanied by visitors to, and residents of the 
settlement, we hastened off on the morning of the 17th to the liank of 
the Cotinga. The river torrent, tearing along, brought us by midday 
close to the first raju'ds, the roaring and raging of which we had already 
recognised at a fairly long distance off. I had already ascended many 
a rapid, hut I had ncA'er shot down one. At the foot of almost every 
fall, every rapid, are to be found a number of crags, from which tKe 
rushing mass of water rebounds to form raging whirlpools. As soon as 
the sloping bed of the river becomes visible, the bowman takes charge: 
his business is to watch the ruffled surface of the water and see whether 
there are any of these hidden crags lying in the line of the dangerous 
chute, and to signal their presence to the captain f steersman) at the 
right moment. Deathly silence reigns in the boat: only their looks 
speak: the men grip tight hold of their paddles, and by ]nilling their 
hardest as they near the head of the summit, add still further to the 
speed that has been already increased by the impetus of the current : 
the object of this manoeuvre is for the craft to cut through the whirl- 
pool and not fall into its power and be dragged into the deep. Should 
the bowman miss seeing one of these hidden rocks and the coiial, 
shooting down, run up against it, its destruction is very generally the 
infallible result. Quietly, and without daring even to touch the sides 
of the boat, the remaiuing passengers have to sit perfectly still, so as 
