ACROSS UNKNOWN SOUTH AMERICA 
a hundred seringueiros working in that immense region 
on the Para side. In the year 1910, 90,000 kilometres of 
rubber were collected by those few seringueiros, and in the 
year 1911 a slightly larger amount was sent down the river 
from that point. The Para Fiscal Agency was not 
established there till December 11, 1910. The collectoria 
was situated in a most beautiful spot, on a high point 
overlooking the mouth of the Tres Barras, and directly 
facing the Juruena-Arinos. On the Juruena, previous to 
reaching S. Manoel, on the left side was a stream in which 
gold was to be found. 
Amid the affectionate farewells of Mr. Barretto I left 
S. Manoel in a beautiful boat belonging to the fiscal agent. 
The effects of light on the water were wonderful after 
the storm. The river, immensely wide, flowed in a north- 
northwesterly direction, then due north in great straight 
stretches from two to four kilometres in length. As we 
had left late in the afternoon we were not able to go far. 
We passed some beautiful islands, one, particularly, of 
immense length, with an extensive sandy beach at its 
southern end. After going some eighteen kilometres we 
came to a great barrier of rocks extending across the river 
from southwest to northeast. Some distance below those 
rocks a great sand bank spread half way across the stream. 
We halted for the night at the fazenda of Colonel 
Gregorio, a seringueiro from whom I expected to get an 
Indian who knew the forest well and who could be of some 
assistance to me in going across it. The house of Colonel 
Gregorio — a mere big shed — was a regular armoury, a 
great many rifles of all ages, sizes, and shapes adorning 
the walls; then there were fishing spears and harpoons, 
vicious-looking knives and axes. In the principal room 
was a large altar with a carved figure of the Virgin stand¬ 
ing with joined hands before lighted candles and a bottle 
of green peppermint. The latter was not an offering to 
the sacred image, but it was placed on the revered spot 
236 
