ACROSS UNKNOWN SOUTH AMERICA 
Medea Island, of greater length but much narrower, 
were disclosed behind it. 
Then came another great barrier of rocks extending 
from southwest to northeast, and more rapids to be ne¬ 
gotiated. A series of elongated islets and sand banks 
occurred in the basin which followed, 1,300 metres wide. 
Beautiful sand beaches had formed on either side of that 
lovely bay. The river then narrowed again to a width 
of 500 metres, and we saw a long flat island of sand, 
200 metres long and 50 metres wide, enclosed by rocks 
in the centre of the stream. 
We continued our journey, after the usual halt for 
taking astronomical observations, and had before us a 
small hill 100 feet high at bearings magnetic 300°. 
We came to a series of most dangerous rapids with 
terrific whirlpools, especially after the first and second 
rapid. Another great barrier of rocks with huge boulders 
spread across the stream from southwest to northeast. An 
isolated hill was to be seen on the left bank, where this 
barrier was found. A strange coffin-shaped boulder of 
immense size was then reached on the right side of the 
stream, just after we had passed a delightful sand spit 
100 metres long enclosed within a stockade of pillar-like 
rocks. 
From this point we had 4,000 metres of clear 
navigation to 280° bearings magnetic. 
It seemed heavenly to us to be in smooth waters again, 
and my men flattered themselves that we had now come 
to the end of the rapids altogether. But we soon arrived 
at innumerable rocks in a confused mass right across the 
stream, between which the river flowed with great force 
in a contracted neck. We passed between two islands, 
each 200 metres long, at the end of which was a rapid. 
An island 1,000 metres long was there formed, Bomfin 
Island. Dangerous rapids occurred halfway down its 
length on the right; then followed a mass of square 
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