dro Nunes--quite close to the junction of the
Canuma River with the Madeira River--going down by river it would have
been possible to reach Manaos in two or three days. Dom Pedro Nunes,
however, with his expedition, could not return, nor sell me a boat, nor
lend me men; so that I thought my best plan was to go back with him up
the River Canuma and then the Secundury River, especially when I heard
from the trader that the latter river came from the south-east--which
made me think that perhaps I might find a spot at its most south-easterly
point where the distance would not be great to travel once more across
the forest, back to my men whom I had left near the Tapajoz.

Pedro Nunes declined to receive payment for the clothes he had given me
and my men, so I presented him with the Mauser I possessed, which he
greatly appreciated; while I gave the crew which had rescued us a present
of L20 sterling in Brazilian money.

It was most touching to see how some of the rubber collectors employed by
Pedro Nunes deprived themselves of tins of jam to present them to us, and
also of other articles which were useful to them in order to make us a
little more comfortable.

I purchased from Pedro Nunes a quantity of provisions--all of an inferior
kind, but they were the best I could get. Among them were six tins of
condensed milk, all he possessed, for which I paid at the rate of ten
shillings each--the regular price in that neighbourhood. Those tins of
milk were a great joy to Benedicto, Filippe and myself.

Although the pain was violent when we ate anything, the craving for food
was now quite insatiable, and we could not resist the temptation of
eating whatever came under our hands.

Late in the afternoon of that same day we started up the river with Pedro
Nunes and his fleet of boats. In the evening, when we camped, the
kindness of the trader and his men towards us was most pathetic.
Drenching rain fell during the night.

On September 22nd we made an early start. Pedro Nunes went away in a
small boat, as he wanted to go and explore a small tributary of the
Secundury. The expedition travelled up the main stream at a great pace,
with the many men who were rowing and punting.

Filippe, Benedicto and I suffered horrible internal pains that day owing
to our careless eating the previous afternoon.

[Illustration: Caripuna Indians.]

[Illustration: Indian Idols of the Putumayo District.]

I was greatly worried by the man who had be