The Marl Or Mud And Water Was Knee-Deep With Little
Intervals Of Firmer Ground Between, Making Progression
Exceedingly Difficult.
The path was bordered with high rigid
grass, brewing in dense clumps separated by water, so that
nothing was
To be gained by leaving the beaten track, and we were
obliged to go floundering on, never knowing where our feet would
rest, as the mud was now a few inches, now two feet deep, and the
bottom very uneven, so that the foot slid down to the lowest
part, and made it difficult to keep one's balance. One step would
be upon a concealed stick or log, almost dislocating the ankle,
while the next would plunge into soft mud above the knee. It
rained all the way, and the long grass, six feet high, met over
the path; so that we could not see a step of the way ahead, and
received a double drenching. Before we got to the village it was
dark, and we had to cross over a small but deep and swollen
stream by a narrow log of wood, which was more than a foot under
water. There was a slender shaking stick for a handrail, and it
was nervous work feeling in the dark in the rushing water for a
safe place on which to place the advanced foot. After au hour of
this most disagreeable and fatiguing walk we reached the village,
followed by the men with our guns, ammunition, boxes, and bedding
all more or less soaked. We consoled ourselves with some hot tea
and cold fowl, and went early to bed.
The next morning was clear and fine, and I set out soon after
sunrise to explore the neighbourhood. The village had evidently
been newly formed, and consisted of a single straight street of
very miserable huts totally deficient in every comfort, and as
bare and cheerless inside as out. It was situated on a little
elevated patch of coarse gravelly soil, covered with the usual
high rigid grass, which came up close to the backs of the houses.
At a short distance in several directions were patches of forest,
but all on low and swampy ground. I made one attempt along the
only path I could find, but soon came upon a deep mud-hole, and
found that I must walk barefoot if at all; so I returned and
deferred further exploration till after breakfast. I then went on
into the jungle and found patches of sago-palms and a low forest
vegetation, but the paths were everywhere full of mud-holes, and
intersected by muddy streams and tracts of swamp, so that walking
was not pleasurable, and too much attention to one's steps was
not favourable to insect catching, which requires above
everything freedom of motion. I shot a few birds, and caught a
few butterflies, but all were the same as I had already obtained
about Cajeli.
On my return to the village I was told that the same kind of
ground extended for many miles in every direction, and I at once
decided that Wayapo was not a suitable place to stay at.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 60 of 213
Words from 30762 to 31286
of 111511
