CHAPTER XIII 
A Double Whirlpool—^Incessant Rapids of Great Magnitude — A 
Dangerous Channel — Nothing to Eat — Another Disaster 
W E had halted on a lovely island, Adelaide Island, 
with a rocky and sandy extension. The night of 
August fifth had been stifling, with a minimum 
temperature of 72° Fahrenheit. 
I found my work too much for me now. There was 
too much to observe on all sides. We were travelling 
quickly with the swift current. A hill range from east 
to west, 300 feet high, ran along the left bank. Farther, 
where the river went to the northeast for 4,000 metres, 
laminated rock like slate showed through the left bank, 
especially in a semicircular indentation which had been 
eroded by the water. There a strong whirlpool had 
formed. Another great stretch of river, 5,500 .metres, 
was now before us, with a small hill 80 feet high on the 
right bank. The river next formed a circular basin with 
three islets and a barrier 500 metres across. 
We were now in a region where, fortunately for us, 
castanheiro trees ( vulgo , the “ Para chestnut”) were to 
be found. Fish was scarce in the river. Now that we 
had almost superhuman work to accomplish, our meals 
were extremely scanty owing to the loss of our provisions, 
and we had not sufficient food to keep up our strength. 
As we went on, I saw to the northeast of us another 
hill range, 300 feet high, extending from northwest to 
southeast, like most of the ranges found in that region. 
Where a prominent headland stood on the left side, with 
180 
