f water shooting up skyward with terrific force, then
rolling upon itself only to give way to another cone of water succeeding
it.

[Illustration: Foliated Rock below the August Falls.]

My men were terrified when they suddenly realized the danger which was
only a few hundred metres in front of us. There was a mighty waterfall.
When my men got excited it was generally troublesome, because they always
disagreed and started quarrelling and insulting one another. Some of them
wanted to land at once, for fear of being dragged down the fall.
Alcides--who wanted to show his bravery on all occasions--said there was
no danger at all and we could go in the canoe right as far as the edge of
the fall. The others naturally got somewhat scared at so foolhardy a
project. Personally I did not like to say a word in the matter, for fear
they should think that I was afraid. I saw with some concern that
Alcides--whose mind, I believe, was not quite right owing to the
hardships we had endured of late--was steering us right for the centre of
the waterfall. I told him that it would be preferable to land on the edge
of the waterfall rather than go over it, as it was a little too high for
the canoe to tumble over. I calculated the height of the fall from 40 to
50 ft., and I was not far wrong, for when I took accurate measurements I
found the actual height was 48 ft.

We were beginning to drift very speedily with the current, when Alcides,
realizing the danger, steered us toward the right bank. The men paddled
for their lives so as to land as quickly as possible, as we were now less
than a hundred metres from the portentous jump. The current was terrific,
and the canoe was floating sideways nearer and nearer the awful chasm.
The coast line on the right, was almost vertical, and there was no place
where we could hold on to anything and land. So down floated the canoe,
my men horror-stricken. Once or twice they were able to seize a creeping
vine hanging down the steep bank, endeavouring to stop the canoe's
headlong career. But the creepers gave way and crashed down upon us,
nearly turning over the canoe at the moment just before they snapped.

So down, down we went, until we were now only a few metres from the fatal
drop, and I saw no way of arresting the canoe.

"Estamos perdidos!" (We are lost!) shouted the men.

"Not yet! not yet!" I exclaimed, as I perceived two rocks just sticking
out of the water. "Make for the rocks!" I shouted to Alc