We found an interesting little animal called cururú (Ctenomys) at a place named José Bonifacio, reached February 23. It is of gopher-like appearance and habits, and is said never to come out of the ground. It throws up mounds of earth at irregular intervals of from a few feet to ten yards apart, and some of them are very large—three feet across and eighteen inches high. We were very desirous of securing one of these animals, but as there were no traps available for the purpose, six Nhambiquaras were induced to dig open one of the burrows. At first the Indians, guided by the mounds and aided by a sharpened stick, followed the galleries, which were about a foot beneath the surface, and at intervals of ten yards blocked them by stamping down the earth into the hole. We returned a half-hour later and found that the plug between two of these sections had been opened, so knew just where the creature was bottled up.

The Indians now opened the entire section of the gallery and found a hole going almost straight down, which, they explained, led to the nest. A soldier was now called with a hoe, and the work of excavation was begun. In order that the hole might not be filled up, a long, pliable stick was inserted, and this served as a guide. The Indians worked with pointed sticks and threw out the loose earth with their hands. Frequently they relieved one another. When near the end of the work the animal could be felt with a stick; they became greatly excited and worked in feverish haste, as a fox-terrier might after a rat, and kept up a continuous yelling. They were covered with earth from head to foot; ears, eyes, nose, and hair were caked with sand and clay, and the naked bodies looked as if they had just emerged from a mud-wallow. Finally one threw away his stick, inserted his arm into the hole, and with a yell of triumph jumped up, holding aloft the kicking little creature by the tail. Then he flung it from him into the grass. The animal seemed bewildered above ground and could not run fast.

The hole, after leaving the upper gallery, descended eight feet, and then ran in a horizontal direction fifteen feet. At the end was a small cavity, but no nest. Small bunches of grass were found in the gallery which had been pulled down by the roots.

The excavation measured fifteen feet long, eight feet deep and three feet wide, and it required half a day for the Indians to complete the work.

The Indians are fond of the animal’s flesh, and often dig them out to eat.

At a camp named Sete de Setembro the two divisions of the expedition were reunited. Captain Amilcar and his party had arrived a day or two before, and a halt was made to divide the equipment and provisions between what were to be the Duvida and Gy-Paraná parties. The Rio da Duvida was only ten kilometres away, and on February 27 we reached its banks. It is a silent, swift stream about sixty-five feet wide at this point, spanned by a substantial wooden bridge. A number of canoes, some of them old and water-logged from use, were tied at the landing. No time was lost in loading them and making ready for the start into the unknown.

CHAPTER XVI
THE DESCENT OF THE RIO GY-PARANÁ

While we were on the Paraguay River it was decided that upon reaching the Rio da Duvida the expedition should be divided into two sections, as a large party always decreases the chances of success in an unexplored region. Colonel Roosevelt suggested that Cherrie and I draw lots, or to settle the matter in any way we chose as to which one should accompany him. After due consideration it seemed to me that, as Cherrie was the older and more experienced man, he was justly entitled to accompany the colonel on the journey down the new river; so I volunteered to join the party which planned to descend the Gy-Paraná.

The eventful day arrived at last, when the expedition must separate; we had looked forward in eager anticipation to the end of the long ride across the Brazilian chapadão and the beginning of river work, but now that the goal had been attained without serious mishap, thirty-seven days after leaving the Upper Paraguay, the division of the expedition seemed to have come all too soon.