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Cornugaya Directory 10
Page 05
The minimum temperature during the night was 69 deg. F. We slept in the boat,
and were simply devoured by mosquitoes. The chief of the Indians who had
been lent me by the Fiscal Agent became seriously ill during the night
with a severe attack of fever. All my men, with no exception, also became
ill, and were shivering with cold, owing to fever. The chief of the
police, Luiz Perreira da Silva, who had been placed by Mr. Barretto in
charge of the Indians who were to accompany me, in jumping from the boat
that night on to the shore hurt his foot, the pain caused by that slight
injury giving him also a severe attack of fever. So that of the entire
crew there remained only two men in good health--viz. Mr. Julio Nery and
myself.
We halted for the night at the _fazenda_ of Colonel Gregorio, a
_seringueiro_ from whom I expected to get an Indian who knew the forest
well and who could be of some assistance to me in going across it. The
house of Col. Gregorio--a mere big shed--was a regular armoury, a great
many rifles of all ages, sizes, and shapes adorning the walls; then there
were fishing spears and harpoons, vicious-looking knives and axes. In the
principal room was a large altar with a carved figure of the Virgin
standing with joined hands before lighted candles and a bottle of green
peppermint. The latter was not an offering to the sacred image, but it
was placed on the revered spot so that none of Gregorio's men should
touch it. Enormous balls of rubber filled the greater portion of the
floor, waiting to be taken down the river.
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