The Land of Mystery | Page 2

it be in
descending, and that the arrangement was much better than if the
condition of affairs were reversed.
The most tiresome work came when they reached some place, where
the falls or rapids compelled them to land, and, lifting the boat and its
contents from the ground, carry it round the obstruction to the more
favorable current above. These portages varied in length from a few
rods to a fourth of a mile, and the further the party advanced, the more
frequent did they become.
"We have gone far enough for to-night," said the Professor, as the prow
of the boat was turned toward the left bank; "we will go into camp and
make ready for to-morrow."
A few minutes later, the bow of the canoe gently touched the dark sand
of the shore. Bippo, Pedros and Quincal understood their duty so well
that, without suggestion from the others, they leaped into the shallow
waters, ran a few steps, and, grasping the front of the craft, drew it so
far upon the land that the others stepped out without so much as
wetting the soles of their shoes.
This task was no more than finished, when the natives scattered in the
forest, which came almost to the edge of the water, in quest of fuel.
This of course was so abundant that the work was slight, but since
Professor Grimcke and Fred Ashman paid them well for their services
they were left to attend to that duty unassisted.
As the surroundings of the party were entirely new and strange,
Grimcke proposed that while the evening meal was being prepared,
they should find out, if it could be done, whether any unwelcome
neighbors were likely to disturb them before morning. After a brief
consultation, it was decided that the Professor and Jared Long should

make their way up the river, keeping close to shore, with the purpose of
learning the extent of the rapids, while Ashman and the sailor, Johnston,
should follow the clearly marked trail which led directly away from the
stream and into the forest. It was more than probable that one of the
couples would come upon something worth knowing, and it was not
unlikely that both would return with important information.
Twilight is of short duration in the low latitudes, and the wish of the
four white men was to be back in camp at the end of an hour, by which
time night would be fairly upon them. But the moon was at its full and
would serve them better than the twilight itself.
The German and New Englander, therefore, moved away from camp,
following the course of the Xingu, while their two friends quickly
vanished in the forest. Each carried his repeating Winchester and his
Smith & Wesson.
Ashman felt some misgiving because of the trail leading into the woods
from a point so near the camp. It seemed likely to have been worn by
the inhabitants of some village near at hand, though it was possible that
the innumerable feet of wild animals on their way to and from the river
may have been the cause. The upper waters of the Xingu are
remarkably clear and pure, a fact which rendered the first theory most
probable.
The explorers had landed in a dangerous region, as they were destined
to learn very soon, and the experience of the couples who took routes at
right angles to each other was of the most thrilling character.
It has been stated that the progress of the canoe had been checked, as
was often the case before, by the rapids of the Xingu, which could be
passed only by carrying the canoe and luggage to the smoother waters
above. It was apparent that the river frequently overflowed its banks,
for immense quantities of driftwood lined both shores, while the
vegetation had been swept away to that extent that a space of a dozen
feet from the margin of the stream was comparatively free from it. Thus
both parties found the travelling easy.

The rapids were a hundred yards wide, more or less, and, with such a
steep incline, that the foamy waves dashed hither and thither and
against each other with the utmost fury, sending the spray high in air
and sweeping forward with such impetuosity that it seemed impossible
for the strongest craft under the most skilful guidance to shoot them.
The explorers studied them with great interest as they ascended the left
bank.
It was inevitable that in a country with such excessive vegetable growth,
every part of the Xingu should show much floating timber. The logs
which plunged through the rapids played all manner of antics.
Sometimes they leaped high out of the waters, like immense sea
monsters, the out-spreading limbs showing a startling resemblance to
the