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TRAVELS ON THE RIO NEGRO. [February, 
On starting, I missed Joao, and found that he had 
left us in the village, telling the guardas that he had only 
agreed with me to come so far, and they had never said 
a word to me about it till now, that it was too late. An- 
tonio’s debt therefore still remained unpaid, and was even 
increased by a knife which Joao had asked for, and I 
had given him, in order that he might go on the voyage 
satisfied. 
The river now became full of rocks, to a degree to 
which even the rockiest part of the Rio Negro was a 
trifle. All were low, and apparently covered at high- 
water, while numbers more remained below the surface, 
and we were continually striking against them. That 
afternoon we passed four more falls, the '^Uacu” (a 
fruit), Uacara ” (Egret), ‘‘ Mucura ” (Opossum), and 
‘‘ Japona ” (oven) caxoeiras. At Uacara there was a ma- 
locca of the same name ; and at J apona another, where 
we passed the night. All these rapids we ascended with- 
out unloading; but the Uacara was very bad, and oc- 
casioned us much trouble and delay. The next morn- 
ing, when about to start, we found that another Indian 
was missing : he had absconded in the night, and it was 
useless attempting to seek him, though we knew he had 
gone to Uacara Malocca, where he wished to stay the 
day before, but where all knowledge of him would be 
denied, and he well hidden, had we returned to fetch him. 
He was one who had received full payment, making 
three who had already gone away in my debt; a not 
very encouraging beginning for my voyage. 
AVe passed the “ Tyeassu ” (Pig) caxoeira early, and 
then had a good stretch of quiet water till midday, when 
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