THE FIRST MUTINY 
distance, to the southwest, the lower country was open, 
with the exception of mountains in the far background. 
We marched rapidly enough across wooded country 
until we crossed the Rio Yermelho (elevation 1,750 feet). 
My men became very excited and began firing their 
carbines recklessly. I had handed to them fifty cartridges 
each, with strict instructions not to fire without my orders. 
I was some distance off. When I heard the fusillade, I 
immediately galloped to the spot. The men had blazed 
away nearly all their ammunition, nor would they cease 
firing when I ordered them until they had exhausted their 
supply of 300 cartridges in all. Why were they firing? 
Because, said they, they had crossed the first water on 
their journey. 
My heart absolutely sank into my boots when I 
realized that it was my fate to travel with such contemp¬ 
tible imbeciles for perhaps a year longer or more, and that 
was only the first day! Oh, what a prospect! We had our 
first quarrel when the men demanded to have their belts 
replenished with cartridges, for their protection against 
attack. As I refused to let them have them, there was a 
mutiny, the men declining to go on another yard unless 
the cartridges were handed to them. We had not been 
gone more than three hours, and a mutiny already! With 
a great deal of patience I induced them to go on, which 
they eventually did with oaths and language somewhat 
unpleasant. Still I held firm. 
After several ascents and descents and a great many 
mishaps with our mules, unaccustomed yet to the work, 
we made camp, having marched 18 kilometres on the 
bank of the Rio Agapa (elevation 1,650 feet), near which 
the grazing was fair. 
Two mules escaped during the night, and we could 
make only a late start the next morning. Alcides traced 
them all the way back to Goyaz, where he recovered them. 
Up and down we went, from 1,760 feet to 1,550 feet, at 
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