1852 .] 
DESCENDING THE RIVER. 
371 
for the purpose of makiug a sketch-survey of that side, 
and ascertaining the width of this extraordinary stream. 
Senhor Ricardo, who is the Capitao dos Trabalhadores, 
immediately gave me an order to embark a man, whose 
house I should pass the next day, and who, he said, was 
perfectly acquainted with that side of the river. After 
breakfasting with him the next morning, I left, well 
satisfied to have a prospect of accomplishing this long- 
cherished scheme. On arriving at the house, however, 
it was empty, and there was no sign of its having been 
i inhabited for some weeks, so that I had to give up all 
i hopes of completing my project. 
I I applied again to the Subdelegarde, Joao Cordeiro, 
I whose house I reached the next day, and also to the 
: lieutenant of Senhor Ricardo, but without effect ; all 
making the usual reply, ''Nao ha gente nenhum aqui’' 
I (there is not a single person about here) ; so I was re- 
i luctantly compelled to proceed down the river by the 
i same course which I had already traversed three times, 
as, by attempting to go on the other route without a 
l| pilot, I might lose my way, and not get to Barra for a 
; month. 
I The fever and ague now attacked me again, and I 
passed several days very uncomfortably. We had al- 
most constant rains; and to attend to my numerous 
I birds and animals was a great annoyance, owing to the 
crowded state of the canoe, and the impossibility of pro- 
i perly cleaning them during the rain. Some died almost 
every day, and I often wished I had had nothing what- 
ever to do with them, though, having once taken them in 
I hand, I determined to persevere. 
B B 2 
