We went home silently. Francisco
did not secure the reward.
This incident is of no particular interest as the result of the
excursion was nil and our humour consequently very bad. But it serves
to show how the mind of man will be influenced by local surroundings,
and how it adapts itself to strange customs, and how a novice may be
so greatly enthused that he will, half-armed, enter upon a reckless
hunt for a wounded jaguar.
CHAPTER VI
THE FATAL MARCH THROUGH THE FOREST
Thus I lived among these kind and hospitable people for five months
until one day my lust for further excitement broke out again, induced
by a seemingly commonplace notice posted outside the door of the
storeroom. It read: "The men--Marques, Freitas, Anisette, Magellaes,
Jerome, and Brabo--are to make themselves ready to hunt caoutchouc
in the eastern virgin forest." Puzzled as to the meaning of this,
I consulted the Chief and was informed that Coronel da Silva was
about to equip and send out a small expedition into the forests,
far beyond the explored territory, to locate new caoutchouc trees,
which were to be cut and the rubber or caoutchouc collected, whereupon
the expedition was to return to headquarters with these samples and a
report on the number of trees observed.
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