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TARAPOTO TO CANELOS 119
entered the water and attempted to pass down-
stream. At this moment we poured in shots upon
him from musket and pistol, which, however, did
not disable him, and he dived out of sight, but on
coming up near one of the canoes, an Indian
planted
a lance in his breast. Several Indians then
leaped into the water, which was scarcely breasthigh,
and speedily dispatched him. When swimming
he had only his head above mouth wide open
water, and
displayed a formidable set
his
of
teeth. At the first reach we went ashore and cut
him up ;
was a fat, well-grown male ;
he few of the
shots had gone much beyond his thick skin. The
finest pieces were salted down and the rest partly
consumed on the spot and partly roasted for the
morrow.
May 19 (Tuesday].- ... We stopped to breakfast
at
io|- A.M., in the mouth of a stream called
which enters on the left bank. It is
Sara-yacu,
of considerable size, with clear water and pebbly
bed. Here was a house and chacra with several
people. ... In the canoes moored here I saw
several bateas (wooden dishes) for gold-washing;
they were made of some light wood, and
about I. 1
,- feet in diameter either in the form ol a
meniscus or of a very low cone- and two projecting
pieces had been left on the margin for handles
The gold found here is only in small quantity and
My companions
in very minute fragments.
two or three pans of gravel, and in each
three or four grains of gold ;
but it wouk
necessary to go to a considerable depth to
with any chance of success, for the grav