s rays
from the water. The refracted light was so powerful that it interfered a
good deal with the navigation. The river looked like a molten surface
of boiling silver, which absolutely blinded us at times, and made it
impossible to see what was ahead in the water.

Esmeralda Island was formerly joined at its most south-westerly point to
the western bank of the river. From that point the river described an arc
of a circle as far as bearings magnetic 20 deg. (N.N.E.). We negotiated
successfully two small rapids with large volcanic rocks just under the
surface of the water. We just escaped going over one of them, which would
have certainly capsized the canoe. As it was we merely scraped the side
of the canoe against it.

The left bank, which had crumbled down, showed strata of conglomerate and
yellow sand, with upper alluvial deposits of a light grey colour.

We were travelling due north in a straight line of 1,800 m. when we came
upon the entrance of a lakelet on the west side of an islet. A huge
fish--some 5 ft. in length--unaccustomed to the unusual sight of human
beings, played about under our canoe for some time, much to the
excitement of my men. Birds of superb metallic blue, vivid yellow, and
iridescent plumage played about among the trees. On the left bank farther
down was a great growth of high bamboos, then again forest with plenty of
vigorous rubber trees.

Again small and fairly swift rapids were encountered in a turn of the
river from bearings magnetic 70 deg. to 250 deg.. A tributary stream which came
from the south entered the Arinos on its left bank. Then we came to
another island forming two channels--one (N.W.) 20 m. wide, with some
rough-looking rapids; the other channel (N.), larger and shallower,
divided in its turn in two by a mound of yellow gravel.

Alcides, who steered, had an idea that in going down rapids you should
always send the canoe over places where the water broke and foamed, which
meant rocks underneath, and not keep her in the centre of the channel
where the water was deeper. This idea was, I think, suggested by his
inability to swim, and the hope that if we got wrecked he could touch
bottom with his feet, so that his life might be in comparative safety. I
tried to argue the point with him, but it was no use. It invariably led
to such unpleasantness that once more I decided to trust in Providence,
as long as we went forward.

I had just shouted to Alcides to keep in the centre of