y, while they were there the dogs ate
up all the _toucinho_ and the result was that the men had to return
disappointed. There was plenty of game, especially wild pig and _veado_
(deer).

Alcides had a smattering of botany, which was a great danger to the
company. He knew, he thought, the uses, medicinal or otherwise, of all
plants, herbs and fruit, wild or not wild. This, in addition to the
greediness of the men--who, although actually gorged with food, were
always willing to devour anything else they found--led once or twice, as
we shall see, to the poisoning of himself and his companions so
dangerously as not only to cause terrible internal pains, but to bring
them all actually to death's door.

I never got poisoned myself, as I generally took good care to watch the
effects of those experiments upon my men first. Then also in my many
years of exploration I had learnt only too well to beware of even the
most seductive tropical plants and fruit. Notwithstanding all this,
Alcides was really wonderful at turning out pleasant-tasting beverages
from the stewed bark or leaves of various trees, and of these
decoctions--in which additional quantities of sugar played an important
part--my men and myself drank gallons upon gallons. Many of those drinks
had powerful astringent qualities and had severe effects upon the
bladder, but some were indeed quite good and innocuous.

During the night I observed a most perfect lunar halo, the circle, close
to the moon, displaying a curious yellowish red outer fringe.

Since leaving the Araguaya we had been bothered a good deal nightly by
the heavy dew, which absolutely soaked everything, made all our rifles
and axes and iron implements rusty, and the tents and saddles and baggage
considerably heavier for the animals to carry, owing to the moisture they
had absorbed. In the early morning we began to get thick cold mist, and
it was about that time that the minimum temperature was usually
registered--58 deg. Fahr. that particular night, May 19th. We were at quite a
low elevation, merely 1,100 ft. When we started in the morning we found
more sand and volcanic debris over ridges some 100 ft. or so above the
level of the river. A torrent, 15 metres wide, flowing swiftly W.S.W. on
a red lava bed, was crossed, the mules slipping terribly on the polished
rock. More ashes and sand were found as we ascended to an elevation of
1,200 ft., from which height we discerned a much-terraced headland to the