ts where it was not
possible to wrap myself up with towels.

It will be noticed in most of the photographs which were taken along the
river, and some of which illustrate this book, that all my men have their
heads wrapped up. This was done as a protection against the tantalizing
insects. The temperature was warm; that day, for instance, was 105 deg. F. in
the sun and 86 deg. in the shade.

We left again at 1.15, my men being--for a change--in a good mood, owing
to the amusing time we always had fishing. We had been making excellent
progress during the last two or three days. The strange man X enlivened
our journey with diabolical songs and with crude wit, which sent his
companions into fits of laughter. When they were in a merry mood or
excited, I noticed that they paddled along much quicker and better, so I
did not try to put a check to the abominable language which would have
jarred the feelings of any one not born and bred in the interior of
Brazil.

It was quite interesting to me to find in that region so much _chapada_
and open country, as I had fully expected to find thick forest all along.
What struck me particularly on the Arinos, and which I could not very
well explain, was that nearly invariably, when you had thick forest on
one side of the stream, you had open country on the other, and only
seldom noticed either forest or campos on both sides of the stream at the
same time.

After passing _chapada_ on the left bank we came to a great many rocks
just above water. A river 3 m. wide entered the Arinos on the right side,
and there was to be seen an immense quantity of beautiful rubber
trees--as yet untouched by human being. The river kept its width of 200
m. After going along _chapada_ on the left bank for some 3 kil., we came
to magnificent forest--this time on both sides--with a luxuriant growth
of rubber trees.

The scene, in its wonderful quietude, was most impressive. It made one's
heart bleed to think that such rich land should lie unknown and
unexploited in these enlightened and enterprising days of the twentieth
century.

The sky above us was always interesting, with its typical filaments of
mist, their lengthy radiations faintly marked upon the vivid blue of the
sky vault and making a centre in the north. These radiations were in
appearance not unlike giant ostrich feathers. They were formed, I think,
over the great streams which flowed northwards into the Amazon.

We were troubled that day with