A PANDEMONIUM 
various shades. The range was thickly wooded on its 
summit. The opposite bank of the river was absolutely 
flat. 
That evening we came in for a heavy storm, which 
compelled us to halt from six o'clock until 2.10 a.m. Black 
clouds had accumulated overhead to the west. A boister¬ 
ous gust of wind suddenly caught us, which swept off our 
chicken-coop, buckets, and other loose things which were 
on the roof of the launch. We were tossed about in a most 
alarming way, and were just able to tie up under shelter 
and make fast to some trees. The wind increased in fury, 
and the launch tore up her moorings, bringing down a 
big tree on top of us with a tremendous crash. 
There was a stampede on board, as everybody thought 
we had been struck by lightning. Some of the people were 
just able to jump on shore, while other Peruvians, men 
and women, scared to death by the diabolic clashing of 
thunder and the vivid lightning, knelt on the decks and 
prayed fervently that we might escape unhurt. 
I had a narrow escape, a lighted petroleum lamp which 
hung above swinging off its hook and falling on my head, 
upsetting all the petroleum over me. Fortunately it went 
out as it fell on me. In the middle of the night we had 
a great deal of trouble to make the boat fast once more, 
the waves in the river being of great height. The rattle 
of all the merchandise and broken crockery on board, the 
moans of the scared Peruvians, with the howling of the 
wind, made a regular pandemonium. 
When we proceeded up the river next morning we 
came upon more interesting islands in course of formation. 
We saw quantities of cana bar aba, wild cane, with its fan- 
disposed, elongated leaves. The natives used the reeds for 
walling their houses. Being absolutely straight, they are 
well adapted for that purpose. 
On January ninth we passed several villages. Along 
the banks we saw many Indians, all dressed up in bright 
Vol.IL—24 369 
