ns of sardines for each party. I would also give them
sufficient money for one of them, or two, to fall back on the river and
purchase provisions for the entire party. I made them promise that they
should remain in charge of my baggage, most of which I would leave with
them at that spot, while I, with two men, would go right across the
forest as far as the Madeira River, where I would endeavour to get fresh
men and new provisions.

The men agreed to this. As I could not trust any of them, I took the
precaution to take along with me all my notebooks and the maps I had made
of the entire region we had crossed, four hundred glass negatives which I
had taken and developed, a number of unexposed plates, a small camera, my
chronometer, one aneroid, a sextant, a prismatic compass, one other
compass, and a number of other things which were absolutely necessary.
The rest of the baggage I left at that spot. I begged the men to take
special care of the packages. All I asked of them was to prop them up on
stones so that the termites and ants should not destroy my possessions,
and to make a shed with palm leaves so as to protect the packages as much
as possible from the rain. The men promised to do all this faithfully. We
drew lots as to who were to be the two to accompany me on the difficult
errand across the virgin forest. Fate selected Filippe the negro and
Benedicto, both terribly ill.

We had no idea whatever what the distance would be between that point and
the Madeira River. It might take us a few days to get there; it might
take us some months. All the provisions we of the advance party should
have to depend upon were the three tins of sardines and the tin of
anchovies--the latter had remained in our possession when we tossed up as
to which of the two parties should have it. The Indian Miguel was induced
at the last moment to come also, and with him came the carrier his
friend.

Early on September 2nd I was ready to start, and roused poor Filippe and
Benedicto, who were in a shocking state. Without a word of farewell from
the men we left behind, and for whom we were about to sacrifice our lives
perhaps, we started on our dangerous mission. The Indian Miguel and
myself walked in front, cutting the way all the time, while I held my
compass in hand so as to keep the correct direction west. Considering
all, we marched fairly well.

It was curious to note how difficult it was for men to travel in a
straight line while cutting