Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-05
by G. NJ. DYOTT.

It was the most charming spot 1 had
seen for a long time. Palms waved
their delicate fronds overhead. BiroS
and butterflies were numerous While
the combination of light and shadow
on all sides was enhancing. 1t WoUid
be easy to get lost in such place. Yet
our canoes moved along without the
81 ghtest hesitation on the part of their
pilots. We suddenly glided out OF
particularly narrow channel into the
glariug light Of the MONDAY sun and
found ourselves on lake OF amazing
size.
For one and one-half hours we skirted
the fringe of this inland sea. On the
way we Speared some fish for supper.
our exit from the lake was as sudden
as our entry. We turned sharply IN UNI.
der some trees where it was barely pos
sible to pass. For q short time we
wripgled through a belt of dense forest
eventually emerging on a large. sWampy
plain covered with Buriti palms.
Here innumerable watercourseS ran
In all directions. rejecting the most
glorious shades Of green imaginable. so
clear were their emerald depths that
we could see the bottom N every de-
tail 30 to 40 feet beneath us. Three
hours later we beached our canoes on
ON foot
Near Fawcett Camping Place.
was first on shore, helping out with
the baggage and incidentally grabbing
nv rife. which never again lett my
hand. A good camping place, plenty OF
firewood and some fat fish to roast
were like sheet anchors; the Indians
would go no farther. Next day, at noon,
We would reach the Kalapalo malocas.
There was no need TO hurry.
Col FaWcett camped close to THIS
very spot. Barely 200 yards away was
on open space with the charred remains
of several houses rising out CT the Jun
gle. Here Fawcett spent night. They
had been abandoned few months
prior to our arrival, and as is the In
dian custom, had been burned when the
occupants left. / found enc OF F2w-
cett's powder TASKS on the ground, or
rather, Aloique called my attention to
It. He also informed me that FaWcett
had not travelled the way we had IN
canoes, but had taken roundabout
course by land. The women who were
carving his cargoes, however, made the
trip by water.
Our third DAYS march brought us to
the malocas of the Kalapalo Indians
and was a severe trial of endurance.
After breaking camp we tramped for
several hours through dry forest
without seeing so much as drop OF
water. Another five hours we arrived
at a small brook where another OF FaW-
cett's camps had been. We didn't stop,
but proceeded on through the brittle
wilderness, dead leaves cracking I'M
der us and trees that looked dead an:
withered.
When / noted the extraordinary dry
ness of the forest, I realized that Faw~
cett's marches had been SO short 1t
seemed that Aloique's statement about
his dying of thirst was not only posi-
be, but quite probable.
Warns of Jungle Dangers.
oh. stranger from the North. be care
full how you tread these jungle paths.
Don't Jump raSfly onto fallen logs for
fear you rouse the fury of horde OF
ants that have made their home in the
rotting timber Don't grab too roughly
at some dangling vine, lest you pull the
roof of the forest down upon your thin
skull Choose your step wisely and shun
the harmless stick. A hidden arm may
fly up in your face if you don't. Be-
ware of tangled creepers that stTew the
forest floor. There must be no shut
fling of weary feet, or else the invisible
net will catch you and fling you to the
ground.
We arrived in the village of the Kala-
palo's at pm, tired after our pro-
ionged exertions. Four chiefs received
us. Seats were provided. and there in
the blazing sun we received the best
they had to offer Vile drinks, dirty