takes the younger ones out of their
nests. It does not spin a web, but either burrows in the ground, or
seeks a cavity in a rock, or in any hollow suited to its taste.

I had never seen any creature of the spider tribe so monstrous or
formidable. Under other circumstances I should have liked to have
carried the creature with us to show to my companions. As soon as
Arthur had killed it, Duppo jumped up and cut off the two forceps, which
were as hard and strong as those of a crab; and I have since seen such
set in metal and used as toothpicks, under the belief that they contain
some hidden virtue for curing the toothache.

The rest had almost completely cured Arthur's sprained ankle, and on
examining his shoulder, I found that the arrow had inflicted but a
slight wound, it having merely grazed the upper part after passing
through his clothes. This, of course accounted for the little
inconvenience he had felt. Still, I believe, even had the wound been
deeper, the poison would not have affected him. I was indeed very
thankful to see him so much himself again.

We were now aroused, and, getting on our feet, looked about as to settle
in which direction we should proceed. We soon found that we were at the
western end of an island, and as the distant features of the landscape
came into view, we felt sure that it was the very one, near the entrance
of the igarape, where we had first landed. We had supposed that we had
floated much further down the river.

"The first thing we have to do is to build a raft, and to get back to
our friends," I said to Arthur. "We shall have little difficulty, I
hope, in doing that. We must lose no time, and we shall be able to
reach them before night."

This discovery raised our spirits. We had first, however, to look out
for a bed of rushes to form the chief part of the intended construction.
The experience we had gained gave us confidence. We explained to Duppo
what we proposed doing, and set forward along the northern shore of the
island. We were more likely to find on that side, in its little bays
and inlets, the materials we required. The axe which Duppo had saved
was of great importance. We had made our way for a quarter of a mile
along the beach, when the increasing density of the underwood threatened
to impede our further progress. Still we had not found what we
required. "I think I see the entrance of an inlet, and we shall
probably find reeds growing on its banks," sa