With stoppages at the various landings where real or imaginary villages existed, the voyage from the mouth of the January River to the junction of the Madeira and the Amazon occupied four days. It was enlivened by several incidents of an amusing character, and one or two that threatened to be serious.
DEPOSITS IN THE AMAZON VALLEY.
Once the boat ran hard aground on a sand-bar, and for some time it was feared that the whole cargo would need to be removed to lighten the craft sufficiently to get her off. But by pulling hard upon ropes fastened to anchors placed in the rear of the boat, and a vigorous backing of the engines at the same time, they managed to get afloat. One morning, while crawling along through a fog, they crashed into the bank, but happily with no great force; some of the lighter work of the boat was broken, but the hull remained uninjured.
When near the Amazon the boat struck hard against something that was supposed to be a log. The engines were stopped, and an examination showed that instead of a log it was a huge turtle, that had evidently been taking a nap on the surface, and was unconscious of the steamer's approach.
One afternoon, as they were turning a point under the overhanging branches of an immense tree, the upper works of the boat brushed against a wasps' nest; the disturbed insects came on board without invitation, and for some minutes they made things very lively. Frank was stung on the nose, and that ornament of his face began to swell almost immediately; it was assuming gigantic proportions when the Doctor made an application of ammonia that soon neutralized the effect of the poison, though not until the youth had suffered considerable pain.
WASP-NEST, SHOWING INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION.