e expedition lasted, as well as pay all their
expenses back and wages up to the day of reaching their original point of
departure.

"I cannot help you; you will get nobody. Besides, I have received an
official but confidential message from Rio requesting me to do all I can
to prevent your going on."

Such treachery seemed inconceivable to me, and I took no notice of it. I
again requested the Presidente to endeavour to find me men and animals,
as nothing would deter me from going on. If no Brazilians came, I said
that I would go alone, but that the value of the expedition would
naturally suffer, as I should thus have to leave behind all the
instruments, cameras, and other impedimenta, which, single-handed, I
could not possibly carry.

It was my intention to travel north-west from Goyaz city as far as the
River Araguaya. There I wanted to descend the Araguaya as far as the
Tapirapez River--a small tributary on the west side of the Araguaya,
shown on some of the very incorrect existing maps approximately in Lat.
11 deg. S., and on others in Lat. 9 deg. and some minutes S. Proceeding westward
from that point again, I proposed crossing over to the Xingu River, then
to the Tapajoz, and farther to the Madeira River. It was necessary for me
to hire or purchase a canoe in order to descend the Araguaya River as far
as the Tapirapez.

Believing that perhaps I might be able to find men without the assistance
of the Governor, I tried every possible channel in Goyaz. I sent men all
round the town offering high pay. I applied to the commanding officer of
the Federal troops. I applied to the Dominican monks, who have more power
in Goyaz State than all the officials taken together.

The Father Superior of the Dominicans shook his head at once and told me
that, much as he wished to oblige me, I was asking for something
impossible. He was right. The people were so scared of the Indians, and
of the horrors of camping in the jungle, that no money in the world would
ever induce them to move out of their town.

"Are there no young fellows in the town who will come along for the love
of adventure as well as the money they will get?" I asked.

"For love! ... love!" said the friar, bursting with laughter. "I do not
believe that such a thing exists in Brazil."

Having removed "love or money" from the programme of temptation, there
remained little else except patience. In the meantime I endeavoured to
hire a canoe. The Presidente kindly u