CHAPTER XXIII 
The Jangada River—Demented Descendants of Slaves—Appalling 
Degeneration — Giant Monoliths — The River Roncador — 
GiganticJNFatural Gateways — The Discovery of Fossils 
W E had reached the end of the comparatively flat 
plateau, which varied in elevation on its summit 
from 2,530 feet to 2,570 feet above the sea level. 
We were next faced by a precipitous descent in order to 
go down to the Jangada River, which eventually flowed 
into the distant Rio Cuyaba. There was, of course, no 
trail of any kind, and the course of the descent before us 
was not unlike trying to take our animals down the almost 
vertical wall of a fortress. With picks and spades we cut 
a narrow path for a short distance in order to start the 
reluctant beasts down. I recommended the greatest care 
to my men, but instead of following my instructions they 
drove the rebellious quadrupeds with their whips in a 
heap along the path, only a few inches wide, which we 
had cut. Result: Collisions among the animals and 
against the wall, and, next, five mules and baggage rolled 
down the mountain-side at a vertiginous speed until they 
had reached the bottom, some hundreds of feet below. 
Antonio, the strong man of the party, who tried to go to 
the rescue of one of the animals, was also dragged down, 
and came within an ace of losing his life. He was able 
to embrace a shrub with all his might just before rolling 
over the precipice, and we rescued him. We had to waste 
a great deal of time cutting an improvised way in the 
mountain-side. Then we had to unload all the animals and 
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