THE RAPIDS OF THE MADEIRA AND THE MAMOR^. 8H 
Exaltaci’on, and with the proniise that from Trinidad itself a part of 
the crew should follow me within three days. Descending the i-iver 
Avithout intermission, I arrived at Exaltacion in two days and two 
nights, having on the way encountered a heaA'y squall and rain of 
tropical violence, and sustained the loss of the coberta or tolda, the 
Iiide-covcred awning of the canoe, Avhieh was caught by the branches 
of a loAv-lying tree as Ave glided sAviftly along the banks. Having 
immediately despatched a messenger to San Joaquin, Ave with all 
haste set about the re2)airs of four of the barques and the collecting 
of proAusions (chiefly Indian corn-flour and sun-dried meat), in which 
operations we Averc so Amliantly assisted by old Cardozo that avc Avore 
enabled to leave Exaltacion after a month’s sojourn, and to turn 
the bows of our barques homcAvards. 
It AA^as the 19 th of October, and high time it AA'as for our departure ! 
Alrciidy fearful squalls swee2ung over the country told us that the 
rainy season was at hand ; and, if this Avere to find us still in the 
region of the rapids, Ave surely should expiate our delay Avith inter- 
mittent fcA'ers. 
The disheartening story of the Bolivian merchant overtaken by 
the floods there, who had to bury eight of his crcAV Avithin a few 
days (the rest having had a narrow escape), haunted us incessantly ; 
and we did our best to 7 uake the detailed maps of the river-course, 
and to take the soundings of its depth, with all possible dispatch. 
Luckily Ave had already made the astronomical obser\'ations on our 
ascent. We an-ived at Santo Antonio as early as the 18 th of 
November, yet not Avithout having, all of us, suffered in A^arious 
degrees from fits of the fever ; AAdiich, though subdued, Avas not cured 
by reiieated tloses of quinine, so long as we continued to bo exposed 
to the same j)crnicious influences. 
The labour and trouble of pa.ssiug the ra2)ids are less, of course, 
on the descent than on the ascent j but the risks to A^essels are 
greater; and, with the time Indian carelessness of the crew, it is 
almost miraculous that they esca2>e from being wmecked on the rocks, 
wliich are half covered Avith the bubbling white spray. Several times 
our barques were in imminent danger, and with them all the results 
of oiu‘ troublesome tour; especially once at Guajara, and another time 
in the currents beloAV Bananciras. 
The unloadiug at the 2>rinci2)al breaks, which in the descent also 
