ISLANDS AND ISLETS 
Just before getting to a third range extending from 
southwest to northeast, and, like the other two, about 
300 feet high, we came upon a long barrier of rock spread¬ 
ing diagonally for about 1,000 metres from southwest to 
northeast. A long narrow island (200 metres long), 
Bertha Island, began from that point close to the right 
bank, and another had been separated by the water from 
the bank itself. A tributary two metres wide was 
observed on the left side. We kept close to the left bank 
and passed on our right an island 300 metres long, 
Sophia Island. 
So numerous were the islands following one another 
that I was beginning to have great difficulty in supplying 
sufficient names for them all. 
More rapids were reached, and were of terrific force, 
especially in the centre of the river. It took me some little 
time to find a suitable passage, but at last I found a 
channel 25 metres wide through which I got the canoe 
among innumerable rocks. We went over a great filare 
— by which word the Italians define an extensive align¬ 
ment in the stratum of rock — of extreme hardness which 
had evidently been fractured in some commotion of the 
earth, and had left sharp edges which cut just like knives 
close to the surface of the water. This rocky obstacle 
extended as usual from southeast to northwest. 
A tiny streamlet entered the river on the left not far 
from the hill range on that same side. The trees in that 
particular region had a most peculiar appearance: their 
high, perfectly straight stems, quite free from branches 
or leaves up to their very summit, looked like so many 
columns, mostly of a whitish colour. Many, however, 
were encircled, others absolutely smothered, with creepers. 
The scenery was really beautiful; it was like travelling 
through fairyland. 
In the centre of the basin, 400 metres wide, to which 
we next came was an island, 80 metres in diameter, 
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