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Cornugaya Directory 09
Page 04
I struggled up on my feet and proceeded to carry the big vessels to the
river bank, where I intended to construct the raft. The effort to take
each heavy bottle those few metres seemed almost beyond me in my
exhausted state. At last I proceeded to strip the floor of the hut, which
had been made with split _assahy_ palms (_Euterpe oleracea_ L.), in order
that I might make a frame to which I could fasten the bottles. With a
great deal of persuasion I got Filippe and Benedicto to help me. The long
pieces of _assahy_ were too heavy for our purpose, and we had the
additional trouble of splitting each piece into four. It was most trying
work in our worn-out condition. Then we had to go into the forest and
collect some small liane, so that we could tie the pieces together, as we
had no nails and no rope.
We certainly seemed to have no luck whatever on that fateful expedition!
Aching all over, soaked right through, water dripping down my hands, nose
and hair like so many little fountains, I proceeded to tie my hammock to
another tree, while poor Filippe and Benedicto, who had been caught in
the foliage and branches of the falling tree, were trying to disentangle
themselves from their unpleasant position. The tree had fallen because it
had been eaten up internally by ants. When it came down upon us they
simply swarmed over us, and bit us all over for all they were worth. I
have no wish whatever to have another such miserable night.
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