up-stream side. Great
islands occurred once more: Paulina Island, 2,500 m. long, on our left;
another, 200 m. long--Olivia Island--on our right; and a third--Clara
Island--just beyond it. A long tail of rocks followed, and the channel
was strewn with dangerous rocks where the river had cut its way through
the range of hills.

What must have been formerly an immense island which had become cut up
into three was now on the left of us as we followed the central channel
in an easterly direction. The first of these was comparatively small; the
next--Tristan Island--was 1,500 m. long; the third--Isolda Island--1,000
m. long. All were of extraordinary beauty. Rubber trees were to be seen,
but not in such great numbers as we had found farther up the stream.
Evidently the soil was somewhat too rocky and not sufficiently moist for
their healthy growth.

From due east the river suddenly turned to due north, diverted by the
great rib of rock which had formerly made part of the hill range we had
now on our right. We had a good deal of trouble here, as difficult rapids
were encountered, and sharp, cutting rocks, collision with which would
have been fatal for us. Our canoe, after the many bumps we had already
experienced, gave alarming signs that she might split in two
longitudinally at any moment. For 5,000 m. the river flowed in a
northerly direction. Great domes of granite and immense boulders were
scattered near the left bank, and rocks of all sizes and shapes emerged
from the water all over the basin, which was 600 m. across. Another
barrier of rock stretched from north-east to south-east and formed a high
drop in the river. We had to unload the canoe once more upon some rocks
in mid-stream, then let her gently down the step of foaming waters by
ropes. We were then in a magnificent basin 1,000 m. wide, with a great
cluster of impressive rocks on the right side, in front of two
enchantingly beautiful islands--Melisande Island, 400 m. long, Pelleas
Island, 700 m. long--on the left.

Whenever I was gazing enraptured at the heavenly scenery Alcides always
managed to send the canoe on to some rock, which quickly brought me back,
not to earth but to water. His principle in life was always to do the
worst thing and then you knew that nothing worse could happen--a
topsy-turvy philosophy for which we all had to suffer. Emerging from the
basin, we had two channels before us, one to the N.N.E., the other N.N.W.
Gigantic palm trees such