ACROSS UNKNOWN SOUTH AMERICA 
to the stream when marching in the forest; we always 
had to keep some hundred metres or so from the water 
in order to avoid the thick vegetation on the edge of the 
stream. In fact, Benedicto, who was walking in the 
forest along the stream, had gone past the boats and had 
neither heard nor seen them. When we shouted out to 
him he was already a long distance off, a boat sent out 
to him by Dom Pedro Nunes having to travel nearly 
800 metres before it could catch up to him and bring him 
back. 
The trader and his men treated us with tender care. 
We were practically naked when they met us, my attire 
consisting of the leather belt with the bags of money 
around my waist, and a small portion of the sleeveless 
coat, all torn to pieces. Dom Pedro Nunes immediately 
gave me some clothes, while his men gave garments to 
Filippe and Benedicto. 
Several men rushed about collecting wood, and in a 
moment a large flame was blazing. The sight of proper 
food brought back our appetites as by magic. Our raven¬ 
ous eyes gazed on several big pieces of anta meat (Tapirus 
americanus ), through which a stick had been passed, being 
broiled over the flame. We three starving men did not 
take our eyes off that meat for a second until the man 
who was cooking it removed the stick and said the meat 
was ready. We pounced upon it like so many famished 
tigers. The meat was so hot that, as we tore away at 
the large pieces with our teeth, our lips, noses, and fingers 
were absolutely burned by the broiling fat. 
Dom Pedro Nunes gently put his hand in front of 
me, saying: “Do not eat so quickly; it is bad for you.” 
But I pushed him away with what vigour I had left. I 
could have killed anybody who had stood between that 
piece of meat and me. I tore at it lustily with my teeth, 
until there was nothing left of it. 
By that time a large bag of farinha had been spread 
298 
