ACROSS UNKNOWN SOUTH AMERICA 
The strata of red, baked rock in the existing mountain¬ 
side were almost absolutely horizontal, with merely a 
slight dip to the north. In the northern end of the range 
the rock showing through the vegetation was white, as 
if it had been subjected to baking. The western aspect of 
the first range showed also a vertical summit of red rock, 
with a sloping spur extending to the west. 
We camped that night on the river Prata, which flowed 
south. Elevation 1,300 feet. Maximum temperature 
85° Fahrenheit, minimum 631/2° Fahrenheit. 
The formation of the clouds was always interesting. 
The long, horizontal streaks across the sky, which were 
daily noticeable, took a form that day not unlike the 
vertebras of an immense snake, whereas the higher clouds 
of transparent mist in filaments looked exactly like a huge 
spider’s web. 
We established our camp under a tall, handsome, 
slender, Xinghi tree, the triangular fruit of which, with a 
light brown, hard skin, was deadly poisonous if eaten. 
Alcides told me that in Minas Geraes it was much used 
in the manufacture of soap. This tree was extremely 
neat-looking, with its clean, sinuous branches and its 
pretty, light green, healthy leaves, of an elongated oval 
shape. 
My men had insisted on bringing dogs away with 
us for safety in case of attack by Indians. They had 
in fact procured three, I would not care to say how, before 
our departure from the Goyaz Province. Those dogs 
were just as faithless and lazy and worthless as the 
people. They followed us because they got plenty of 
food, otherwise they had no affection for anybody; and, 
far from giving an alarm when any person or any animal 
approached the camp, they were quite unmoved by any¬ 
thing that happened around them during the day or night, 
except at meal-times. A handsome onpa (jaguar) leapt 
close to camp, and on perceiving us bounded gracefully 
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