scuits, dried
meat, beans, _farinha_, condensed milk, _banho_ (liquid lard in tins),
and a number of other things, such as clothes, shirts, rope, nails,
axes, etc., which we needed badly.

The Peruvian trader--of the Brothers Mori's firm--must have had a
handsome store indeed at that place, a quantity of jewellery, rifles,
pistols, etc., all badly injured by the fire, being seen strewn on the
ground as we walked about.

The Peruvians are wonderful traders, most remarkable people for exploring
unknown regions and carrying on commerce to the most distant points where
human beings are found. That particular Peruvian firm had foreseen that
that region will some day develop to a great extent, and they had
therefore established their store at the most distant point where it was
possible to navigate the river without extraordinary dangers.

The prices charged by the Peruvian, even when circumstances might have
led him to put a high price on the goods he sold me, were far lower than
those of the Jew in his dying moments.

The river was there 1,000 m. wide, and of amazing beauty, flowing to 30 deg.
b.m. N.N.E. for 5,000 m. in a direct line.

We had gone 30 kil. that day, and we had had so many things happen to us,
we felt so rich and happy with our new purchases and with the prospect
that our trials were nearly over, that when night came we had a grand
meal, and slept soundly notwithstanding the swarms of mosquitoes which
buzzed around us.

[Illustration: The S. Simao Waterfall.]

During the night of August 18th the minimum temperature was 71 deg. F. During
the day the temperature of the air was not much warmer--only 78 deg. F. in
the shade with a nice breeze, while 113 deg. F. were registered in the sun.

We halted for one day in order to repair the canoe, as it was all we
could do to keep her afloat, she was leaking so badly. Poor Benedicto,
who had spent the last few weeks baling out the water, swore that the
moment he could leave the expedition he certainly would, since he felt he
should turn into a fish soon, as he had not been dry one second for the
last two months.

The minimum temperature during the night of August 19th was 72 deg. F.

When we proceeded down the river we came upon most beautiful sand
beaches, one as much as 500 m. long. Quantities of most delicious
tortoise eggs were to be found. Furthermore, we killed some giant
tortoises. Altogether we felt that all of a sudden we had dropped from a
regular