A THERMAL SPRING 
atmospheric temperature of 50°, steam rose from the 
water of the spring. Around the spring a curious conical 
mound of finely powdered, white matter resembling kaolin 
had formed. This appeared to me to have formerly been 
a small geyser. The cone was broken on one side, and the 
water did not come out with great force. A few yards 
down the slope of the dome another similar white cone was 
to be seen, with a great mass of granular ash-pellets and 
tufa, such as are commonly found near geysers or thermal 
springs. We called that camp Cayambola. 
On the night of June twelfth the minimum temperature 
was 50° Fahrenheit, the elevation 2,430 feet. The sky 
was somewhat clouded, the clouds occupying four tenths 
of the heavens. At sunrise we observed radiations in the 
sky, this time, curiously enough, from northeast to south¬ 
west, instead of from east to west. The longest and 
highest semicircle above us was in double filaments, and 
resembled an immense fish-bone. 
We were supposed to be then in a country infested by 
cannibal Indians — swarms of them. My men were quite 
amusing in their fears. Four of them were troublesome 
and insisted on the whole expedition turning back in 
order to see them safely out of danger. I remembered on 
those occasions an old Italian proverb which said that to 
“ women, lunatics, and children ” the wisest thing is 
always to say “Yes.” 
So when they threatened all kinds of things if we did 
not return I generally answered that we would continue 
a little farther, then we would see; and from day to day 
this went on, making forced marches forward all the time 
— generally of from thirty to forty-two kilometres daily. 
The dissatisfaction among my men grew, nevertheless, 
considerable, and a constant watch had to be kept over 
them. Alcides and Filippe the negro showed great cour¬ 
age, and, whatever other failings they may have had, they 
invariably displayed extraordinary bravery. 
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