NARROW ESCAPES 
from east-southeast to west-northwest. In its northern 
part, where a pool of stagnant water was to be found, were 
innumerable burity palms. It was evident that during 
the rainy season that plain (elevation 2,350 feet) must be 
entirely under water. In many places it was swampy, 
even at the time of my visit. It was most refreshing to 
the eyes to see such expanses of green, healthy grass. The 
mules and horses enjoyed it more than we did, neighing 
to their hearts’ content when we emerged into the great, 
verdant meadow. They tore with their teeth at the 
delicious grass as they cantered along gaily. 
Some of the enjoyment of the delightful scenery was 
taken away from me — not only that day, but every day 
during almost an entire year — because of the stupid ob¬ 
stinacy of my men. They carried their magazine rifles 
fully loaded, eight cartridges in each, and while marching 
insisted on keeping the rifles cocked; they would not hear 
of keeping them at safety, so that any extra jerk or a twig 
of a tree catching the trigger might cause the weapons to 
go off at any moment. This would have mattered little 
if they had slung their rifles in the usual way, pointing 
skyward or else towards the earth. Rut no — one could 
never induce a Brazilian to do things in a sensible way. 
No, indeed; they must carry their rifles horizontally upon 
the shoulder, the muzzles of the nearest weapons always 
pointing at me. It was no use remonstrating, as they 
might perhaps have misunderstood it as fear. So all I could 
do was to trust in Providence. I could not have done bet¬ 
ter, for Providence indeed watched over me and protected 
me on that expedition in a most merciful way, for which I 
am truly grateful. On several occasions, as was to be ex¬ 
pected from the careless way in which the weapons were 
carried, now one rifle then another went off unexpectedly, 
and I came mighty near being shot. On other occasions 
the mules had narrow escapes. Once a bullet went right 
through the hat of one of my men, just missing his head. 
275 
