way, now in full working order, is 364 kil. The last rail
was laid on April 30th, 1912, when Mrs. Jeckill drove the last and golden
spike--an honour which no other white woman, I believe, has ever had in
so inhospitable a country.

CHAPTER XXIV

Attacked by Beri-beri--A Journey up the Madeira River to the
Relief of Filippe the Negro and Recovery of Valuable Baggage left
with him--Filippe paid off--A Journey up the River
Solimeos--Iquitos

I ARRIVED in Manaos in the evening of November 15th. I was very ill
indeed, my right foot so swollen that I could hardly stand on it, and so
painful that I could not put on a shoe or even a slipper, so that I had
to hop about with only a sock over it. The doctor on board had told me
that I was suffering from beri-beri, and although I tried not to believe
him I was gradually forced to the conclusion that he was right. In fact,
atrophy set in by degrees--one of the characteristics of beri-beri being
that after a time you feel no pain at all. You can dig a pin into the
affected part, or pluck off all the hairs without feeling the slightest
pain. I was in a bad way, although I never laid up for an entire day.
From the moment I arrived I "got busy," to use an American expression, in
order to go to the rescue of Filippe the negro and another man I had left
in charge of my valuable baggage near the mouth of the Canuma River, a
tributary of the Madeira. It was necessary for me to borrow or charter a
steam launch for one or two days, so that I could save men and baggage. I
applied to the Governor of the Amazonas, who had received telegraphic
instructions from the Central Government to give me every possible
assistance. When I called upon him he said he was not the "black servant"
of the President of the Republic; that he was practically an independent
ruler, and would obey nobody's orders or instructions, especially from
the Central Government.

[Illustration: an Elevated Trail overlooking a Foaming Torrent.

(See arch cut in the rock.)]

I told him that the work I had done was principally for the good of
Brazil; that all I asked him was to help me to save the lives of two
Brazilian citizens, and the maps, photographs, etc., which would be
useful chiefly to Brazilians, whatever their political views were. I
would gladly pay out of my own pocket, within reasonable bounds, all
expenses in connection with the trip. If I had applied to him it was only
because I ha