he aid of my compass I would find
my way along the trail which was said to exist.

I started in the morning with a few provisions and a dull bush-knife,
at first along a fairly good path, which, however, soon divided
into several tracks. I followed the one which seemed most likely to
lead to my destination, but arrived at a deep lagoon, around which
I had to make a long detour. Here the path came to a sudden stop in
front of an impenetrable thicket of lianas which I could hardly cut
with my knife. I climbed across fallen trunks, crawled along the
ground beneath the creepers, struck an open spot once in a while,
passed swamps and rocks,--in short, in a very little time I made an
intimate acquaintance with the renowned Santo bush. Yet I imagined
I was advancing nicely, so much so that I began to fear I had gone
beyond my destination. About four o'clock in the afternoon I struck
a small river and followed its crooked course to the coast, so as to
get my bearings. Great was my disappointment on finding myself only
about 1 1/2 km. from the lagoon which I had left in the morning. This
was a poor reward for eight hours' hard work. I was ashamed to return
to the cutter, and followed the shore, not wishing to repeat that
morning's experience in the forest. The walk along the beach was not
agreeable at all, as it consisted of those corroded coral rocks,
full of sharp points and edges, and shaped like melted tin poured
into water. These rocks were very jagged, full of crevices, in which
the swell thundered and foamed, and over which I had to jump. Once I
fell in, cut my legs and hands most cruelly and had only my luck to
thank that I did not break any bones, and got safely out of the damp,
dark prison. But at least I could see where I was, and that I was
getting on, and I preferred this to the uncertain struggle in the
forest. In some places the coast rose to a high bank, round which
I could not walk. I had to climb up on one side as best I could
and descend on the other with the help of trees and vines. Thus,
fighting my way along, I was overtaken by the sudden tropical night,
and I had to stop where I was for fear of falling into some hole. A
fall would have been a real calamity, as nobody would ever have found
me or even looked for me on that lonely coast. I therefore sat down
where I was, on the corals where they seemed least pointed. I did not
succeed at all in making a fire; the night was quite dark and moonless,
and a fine