ir-tight case,
was rather too big to be used for the work in going down the rapids.

During the night of August 7th the minimum temperature was 62 deg. F.

[Illustration: Conveying the Canoe, weighing 2,000 lb., over a Hill
Range--The Descent.]

I worked the entire morning with Alcides, trying to mend the poor canoe.
The hole which had been made in her side was so big that Alcides could
insert his head into it with great ease. It was not until two o'clock
in the afternoon that we started once more. Along the river, which flowed
in that particular section to the south-west, was a hill range on the
north-west. The range rose 300 ft. above the level of the river. We had
gone only some 2,000 m. when we came to another bad rapid stretching
across the river from south-east to north-west. We were in a hilly
region, hills being visible all along the stream. Soon afterwards we came
to another powerful fall over a vertical rocky wall extending from
north-west to south-east. Such redoubtable waves were produced there by
the force of the water shooting over and then rebounding upwards, that we
had to use the greatest care in letting down the unloaded canoe. At one
moment she was more than two-thirds out of the water, only her stern
resting on the top of the fall, the rest projecting outward in the air
for some moments until she dropped down again.

Since the day we had taken the canoe over the hill range at the August
Falls, I had doubled my men's salaries--although their original salaries
were already many times higher than they would receive from Brazilian
employers. I fully recognized that the work was hard, and I wished to
encourage them in every possible way.

Next, the river went through a narrow gorge, only 80 m. wide, where the
current was mighty strong. High volcanic rocks stood on the right side of
us. When we emerged from the narrow neck, which measured some 500 m. in
length, we found powerful whirlpools. Farther on the river once more went
through a bad narrow passage, 40 to 60 m. wide, with a succession of
rapids--extremely unpleasant--for a length of 600 m.

My men were in great form that day, and we shot one rapid after another
in fine style, Alcides--for a change--being amenable to reason and
following my instructions, which carried us through that dangerous
section without mishap. The stream Uruguatos entered the Arinos just
above the latter rapids.

That day was indeed a trying one for us. Another narrow ch