en all the trading boats were winding
their way at sunset descending the various rapids.

After going through a great channel, we went along a large fissure from
south-east to north-west, still in the Mangabel rapid. The rock of that
region was highly ferruginous. That fissure was of great depth, and
absolutely free from rocks in the channel itself.

When we emerged from the fissure we were confronted to the east on the
right bank by two enormous hemispherical domes 100 ft. high, grassy but
absolutely without a tree.

The rocky formation of the hills was apparent a little farther down
stream, when going along the great eastern channel of the river. On the
left bank we had hills with _campos_ on their summit. All the hills I
noticed in that region had rounded backs.

I greatly admired the bearing of Col. Brazil as we dashed down at a
terrific speed through the most intricate channel in the rapid, strewn
with sharp rocks. Had we touched one of those rocks it would have meant
the destruction of the boat, the loss of all the valuable cargo and most
of the crew, as the majority of them could not swim.

There were three passages there, called respectively the Casson, near the
left bank; the Dos Ananas, in the centre; and the channel da Terra Preta,
which we followed, on the right. At Lua Nova, the end of the Mangabel
rapid, the river turned in a sweeping curve to the north, the rocks
getting fewer and fewer until eventually the river became quite clear of
them, with only high hills along both banks. Lua Nova was a little
settlement of five houses and a shed, some of them whitewashed, with
doors and windows painted green. A small plantation of Indian corn,
sugar-cane, and _mandioca_ had been made, the soil being extremely
fertile at that spot. We enjoyed a magnificent view to the west and
north-north-west, the river there forming an elbow.

[Illustration: Wreck of the "Mamoria" in the Calderao of the
Solimoes River.]

[Illustration: Indians of the Putumayo District.

(Dr. Rey de Castro, Peruvian Consul at Manaos, in the centre
of photograph.)]

Close by, on leaving that place, we found on our right Lage's Point,
where the rocky formation suddenly ended, and with it the dangers of the
Mangabel rapids. Here there was a basin 1,500 m. wide, with extensive
sand-beaches of great beauty. After passing the last row of rocks,
extending from west to east, the entire river bottom was of clean
yellow sand, so that the water ap