i88 3 j] 
Heath's Bolivian Explorations. 
537 
his first descent, and stopped for the night at a point lower 
down, in n° 4' 46" S. lat. The next morning at 8 o’clock 
he passed a stream coming in from the south, probably an 
outlet of a portion of the waters of Rojoaguado, an un- 
explored lake. To this river was given the name Ivon, in 
honour of the companion of Prof. Orton, in his last expedi- 
tion to South America. At 10 o’clock he passed a point of 
rocks in the river, and came to an island with a large sand- 
bar in front. At this point he landed, and climbed one of 
the tallest trees to obtain a view of the country, as the dense 
forest cut off his view on every side. Far to the south, be- 
yond the perennial forest that margins the river, he could 
see the glimmering waters of an unknown lake. At meri- 
dian he came to the junction of the Beni, with a large river 
flowing in from the north — undoubtedly the Madre de Dios. 
By triangulation he found the width of the Madre de Dios 
at the point of junction to be 2350 feet, and of the Beni to 
be 735 feet, the depth of water in the channel being 50 feet. 
All animals here were found to be exceedingly tame. He 
landed on an island, at the junction of the two rivers, within 
10 feet of seven Cupibaras, which did not move, evidently 
never before having seen a man. The alligators found 
sleeping on the sand-bar did not stir, and the monkeys in 
the trees on the banks simply lifted up their heads while the 
boat passed under them, and then went to sleep again. 
The only knowledge possessed of this river is the rumoured 
descent of it in i860, by Senor Maldonado, a Peruvian 
colonel of engineers, who, being persecuted in his country 
for political reasons, is said to have descended the Madre de 
Dios and Lower Beni, losing his life at one of the lower 
rapids. Unfortunately all the notes of this expedition were 
lost. 
Alligators had taken out of the boat every night, while 
moored at the shore, the meat of monkeys killed for provi- 
sion, which rendered it necessary to shoot monkeys every 
day. Alligators here were very numerous, and, on account 
of their great familiarity, Dr. Heath shot two to make them 
respedt them. For greater precaution he placed the meat 
at night at the head of his bed, as he slept on the shore near 
the boat, but in the morning the meat was gone, and the 
prints left by an alligator’s feet and tail indicated by what 
means it was missing. He also found tracks of tigers in 
the sand near his sleeping-place, and indications where they 
had dug up turtle’s eggs. 
The Dodtor pushed off his frail boat at 6 o’clock in the 
morning, and at 6.50 passed the mouth of a large river 
VOL. V. (THIRD SERIES). - 2 , N 
