s--The Raft
sinking--Saved--Our First Solid Meal--Its Consequences--The
Canuma and Secundury Rivers--Marching Back across the Forest to
the Relief of the Men left behind--A Strange Mishap--A Curious
Case of Telepathy

ON September 21st my men had a great discussion. Their courage failed
altogether, as they said they had never before seen a boat of that kind,
made of glass bottles, and that, even allowing that she would float at
all, if we struck a rock where should we be? They declared that, tired as
they were, they preferred to go on struggling on foot through the forest
rather than get drowned. With his peculiar reasoning, Benedicto said that
it was bad enough to die of starvation, but to die of starvation and get
drowned as well was too much for him!

It was decided that we should first of all try whether the raft would
bear our weight or not. If she did, we would sail in her. If she did not,
I would navigate her and they might go on foot.

It was a moment of great excitement and suspense when we launched the
_Victory_. You should have seen the faces of Benedicto and Filippe when
she floated on the water as gracefully as a duck. I got on her, and with
a punting pole went half-way across the river and back again.

Filippe and Benedicto, who had hardly recovered from their astonishment,
professed that it was the cleverest thing they had ever seen, and no
Brazilian ever would have had such a brilliant idea. They were now
anxious to get on board.

First Filippe came and sat himself in front of me, and I saw with some
concern the raft sink down considerably into the water. When Benedicto
also entered, the framework of our vessel absolutely disappeared under
water and only the short necks of the bottles showed above the surface.
As we sat astride on the narrow longitudinal platform we were knee-deep
in water. We took another small trip in mid-stream, and then decided that
we would put the baggage on board and start at once on our journey down
the river.

I went back for the baggage and rolled it all up in the waterproof
hammock, then fastened it with pieces of liane to the stern of the raft.
Filippe and Benedicto fastened their own things also. Having made
ourselves some primitive-looking paddles with the bottom of a small empty
barrel we had found, which we attached to two sticks, we made ready to
start.

[Illustration: Canoe made of the Bark of the Burity Palm.]

[Illustration: Indians of