ACROSS UNKNOWN SOUTH AMERICA 
into two channels, the larger one of which, 200 metres 
wide, we followed; the other being but 30 metres broad 
and much strewn with rocks. The river, from the point 
where we met the sand beach, flowed in a south-southwest 
direction for 6,500 metres, when it gradually resumed 
its course northward. The island, thickly wooded, was 
extremely beautiful, with trees of great size upon it. 
Quantities of ariranhas were to be found near this island, 
and they came straight for us with their mouths open, 
shrieking wildly and snarling and spitting like cats. I 
was always amazed at their bravery, as they came right 
on while being shot at by my men, the reports of the 
rifles enraging them to absolute frenzy. 
Shortly after we came to another most beautiful, oval¬ 
shaped island, 350 metres long, Maude Island, in a basin 
extending from east to west for a breadth of not less than 
500 metres. 
Another island, Vera Island, 150 metres long and of 
an elongated shape, was seen in the same basin. It also 
had luxuriant vegetation upon it, whereas, curiously 
enough, the banks on either side of the great basin showed 
chapada with stunted trees. Farther on, where a small 
tributary entered the Arinos on the left side, the country 
seemed quite open beyond the narrow fringe of trees along 
the water. 
Another streamlet, three metres wide, flowed into the 
Arinos from the northeast on the right bank. The main 
river there was of a width of 400 metres. 
Another great island, Luiz Schnoor Island, also most 
beautiful, like the others, was next seen. We halted on 
it for our midday meal, and to take the usual astronomical 
observations. The sky had, by that time, become beau¬ 
tifully clear, of a dense cobalt blue, and I was able to 
take twenty-three sights of the sun. I generally took a 
great many sights with the sextant and artificial horizon, 
in order to define the latitude and longitude with greater 
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