ACROSS UNKNOWN SOUTH AMERICA 
with tall reeds, from which we had some difficulty in 
extricating ourselves. We eventually had to retrace our 
steps for six kilometres in order to find an easier way 
for our animals. After an examination of the country 
with my telescope from a high spot, I decided to go west¬ 
ward across a flat, swampy plain of ashes, sand, and water 
— most troublesome for the mules and horses. They sank 
deep into the soft ground and frequently rolled over, 
damaging saddles and baggage. One or two of my men 
had involuntary baths, when the animals’ knees gave way 
under them. 
As soon as we had emerged from that wearisome marsh 
the animals and men were so tired, although we had gone 
only twenty-two kilometres from our last camp, without 
the deviation (twenty-eight kilometres with deviation), 
that I had to encamp on the bank of the streamlet Fascina, 
coming from the west. There we had the laborious task of 
spreading to dry all the articles that had got wet, including 
my bedding, tent, and a quantity of my clothing, which 
was not packed like all the rest in air and water-tight 
cases. 
The stream Fascina flowed into the Rio Furnas and 
Eventually into the Rio Manso to the north, the latter a 
tributary of the Cuyaba River. That region had been 
rich in Mangabeira (the Hancornia speciosa M.), a wild, 
lactiferous plant of much value, producing a fruit called 
the mangaba. 
June sixteenth. Minimum temperature 54° Fahren¬ 
heit; elevation 1,940 feet. On leaving camp, after a good 
deal of trouble in recovering our animals in the morning, 
as they had strayed in all directions, we found ourselves 
travelling along the edge of a large, grassy basin (ele¬ 
vation 2,000 feet) extending from southeast to northwest, 
with a wonderful growth of burity palms; then upon a 
second basin (elevation 2,100 feet) with deep deposits of 
ashes. We climbed higher, to 2,150 feet, where we found 
332 
