ACROSS UNKNOWN SOUTH AMERICA 
costumes, principally red shawls. We entered a tiny chan¬ 
nel on the right bank and went as far as a place called San 
Jeronimo, a fairly large settlement. This small channel 
was, as late as 1895, the main stream, which has since been 
diverted by the formation of a low island. At sunset we 
perceived to the west what appeared at first to be a mass 
of low clouds revolving in a circle at a great speed. On 
closer inspection we found it to be millions of garpas or 
aigrette storks flying in a circle. 
I arrived in the evening of January tenth at Masisea, 
where another wireless telegraph station had been estab¬ 
lished by the Peruvian Government. At this place I left 
the launch Rimac and found the Government launch 
Esploradora, which had been detained there by the prefect 
of Loreto for two days, awaiting my arrival. Having 
transshipped at once, I was able to proceed on January 
eleventh on the latter. She was to take me as far as 
possible toward the foot of the Andes. 
As we proceeded up the river we saw extensive farms 
surrounded by good clearings of land, with lots of cattle 
and horses, especially on the left bank of the river. We 
purchased an ox, so as to have fresh meat on board. 
The small launch was, unfortunately, packed with a 
great many Peruvian travellers. There were no cabins, 
and one had to sleep on the roof of the launch. Every¬ 
body was most civil, and with the new camp-bed I had 
purchased in Manaos I was able to make myself as com¬ 
fortable as was possible under the circumstances. 
Beautiful specimens of cataua trees of great height 
were constantly to be seen in the forest along the banks. 
The resin from these trees is extremely poisonous, and is 
much used by the local Indians for killing fish. We halted 
for five hours that day in order to take on board sufficient 
wood to last the engines the entire journey. At 6.80 
that afternoon we left the Ucayalli River and entered the 
tributary Pachitea, on the left side, the Ucayalli describ- 
370 
