f surveyor, hydrographer,
cartographer, geologist, meteorologist, anthropologist, botanist, doctor,
veterinary surgeon, painter, photographer, boat-builder, guide,
navigator, etc. The muleteers who accompanied me--only six, all
counted--were of little help to me--perhaps the reverse. So that,
considering all the adventures and misfortunes we had, I am sure the
reader, after perusing this book, will wonder that we got back at all,
and will be indulgent enough to give me a little credit for saving,
through innumerable disasters--and perhaps not altogether by mere
luck--all my photographs (800 of them), all my note-books, all my
scientific observations, as well as all the vocabularies I made of the
various Indian languages of tribes found on my way. Also for bringing all
my men out alive.

Here are, briefly, a few results of the expedition:--

(_a_) First of all it has proved that, far from South America's being an
impenetrable continent--as was believed--it is possible for any
experienced traveller to cross Brazil in any direction, if he could
obtain suitable followers.

(_b_) It has proved that the "millions of savage Indians" supposed to be
swarming all over the interior of Brazil do not exist at all. All the
pure Indians of Central Brazil taken together may number a few hundreds,
or including half-castes (negroes and Portuguese), a few thousands. As
for the wild beasts and snakes, no one ever need fear being troubled by
them. They are more afraid of you than you of them, you can take my word
for it. So that the terror which has so far prevented people penetrating
the interior has no reasonable ground, and this book ought to be the
means of making European people some day swarm to develop that marvellous
land now absolutely uninhabited.

(_c_) Meteorological observations were recorded daily right across
Brazil.

(_d_) Altitude observations, forming a complete chain and including all
minor undulations, were registered across the entire South American
continent from the Atlantic coast at Rio de Janeiro as far as Callao on
the Pacific coast. The observations were taken with a hypsometer and
several excellent aneroids. These show that many of the elevations marked
on the existing maps of Brazil are inaccurate, the error amounting
sometimes to several hundred feet.

(_e_) A complete survey was made of new country between the Araguaya
river and the Madeira, including a careful survey of the Arinos river and
the river