tiful cobalt-blue tones against
the whitish and grey sky; while the dark green foliage of the trees and
the yellow blooms of the _Oleo pardo_ trees visible here and there, the
immaculate white sandy beach along the water line, together with the
brilliantly red and yellow rocks which stood out of the crystalline
emerald water, formed indeed a beautiful scene for the painter's brush.

It did not do to be poetically inclined when travelling on the Arinos. I
had hardly time to realize how beautiful that scene was when we found
ourselves confronted by another big barrier of rocks, through which we
went over a swift _corrideira_.

A basin was formed, 900 m. wide, with an extensive island of rock on the
right side of it. Then we suddenly came to a terrible-looking rapid at an
incline so steep that I foresaw trouble in store for us. There was no way
of stopping anywhere, as the current was swiftly taking us down.

"We are lost!" shouted one man. "Jesus Maria Santissima!"

"Paddle away! paddle away, for Heaven's sake!" I shouted, as I knew that
speed alone could save us from disaster.

Down went the canoe at an angle of 45 deg. in the foaming and twisting waters
of the rapid. Where the water curled right over itself the heavy canoe
was lifted up in the air like a feather, and as I turned round to shout
to Alcides to steer straight ahead I saw his expanded eyes looking in
terror at the terrific whirlpool which was facing us at the bottom of the
rapid.

"No! no!" cried Alcides.

"Straight--straight! For God's sake, straight!" shouted I; and as I saw
the canoe swerve to the right I again shouted to Alcides to steer
straight in order to avoid the dangerous part of the whirlpool.

Alcides would not steer straight, but steered us instead on the right for
the very centre of the whirlpool. No sooner did the prow of the canoe
enter the circle of the rotating water, which formed a deep concave
hollow 70 or 80 m. in diameter, than, dipping her nose in the water, she
was flung right up into the air, revolving on herself. Baggage and men
all tumbled over, two men being thrown with terrific force clean out of
the canoe. A lot of baggage disappeared into the whirlpool. The canoe,
although filled with water, righted herself and spun round helplessly at
an alarming speed. The impact had been so violent that the men, in
tumbling over, had lost all the paddles except one.

We heard the cries of the two men in the water, and I saw them str