ht.

On January 12th we started up the Pachitea River, a stream much smaller
than the Ucayalli, but more interesting. Soon after departing we could
perceive in the distance before us a high hill range. Crocodiles and
white storks were innumerable, while fallen trees impeded navigation
constantly. Once or twice we banged with such force against immense
floating logs of wood that it made the launch quiver in a most alarming
way. In the dirty water of the stream it was not always possible to
detect the floating logs, which sometimes were just under the surface of
the water. Immense quantities of _cana baraba_ were to be seen on the
banks, and great numbers of delicately-tinted violet flowers which
enlivened the landscape. The _cana_ had light violet-coloured _panaches_,
which were much used by the Indians in the manufacture of their arrows.
The banks were of alluvial formation. Islets of grey sand mixed with
volcanic ashes could be seen. The current was strong.

We saw large families of _ciancias_--beautiful birds with velvety black
bodies speckled with white, and fan tails of rich brown colour, feathers
of the same colour being also on the outer half of the wings. They
possessed slender, most elegant necks, small brown-crested heads, and
light yellow chests. Seen at a distance they were not, in shape, unlike
pheasants. Twenty or thirty together at a time could be seen playing
among the lower branches of the trees along the edge of the river. Then
there were small birds of a beautiful metallic blue-black, with very long
tails; these latter were innumerable near the water.

[Illustration: A Beautiful Example of Ancient Spanish Wood-carving, Peru.]

The rainy season was in full swing. In the morning we generally had white
mist rising among the trees, while during the day rain was usually
plentiful and rendered travelling somewhat monotonous, as we could not
see much. We saw many specimens of the _tagua_ or _yarina_, a small palm,
the leaves of which were used in that region for roofing houses. At last
we came to the first rocks I had seen in the river since leaving the
Tapajoz River. They were at the double whirlpool of Naittavo. At the
island of Errera was a narrow channel only 30 to 40 m. wide, where the
current was extremely strong, and just deep enough for our launch, which
drew 5 ft. of water. The upstream end of the island was strewn with logs
of wood, forming a kind of barrage, the water of the dividing stream
bein