Death on the River of Doubt: Chapters 7–15

The vines were remnants of a handrail from a footbridge that the rising waters had washed away.

With no choice but to stop, the camaradas began setting up camp. Meanwhile, Rondon and the rest of the men cut through the undergrowth along the river’s edge to determine how far the rapids went.

For nearly a mile, the rapids swept on, interspersed along the way with a number of waterfalls.

They knew that their sole choice now was to build a portage, or overland route, so they could drag their canoes to the point where the rapids ended. This was not an easy undertaking, and it would take days to build the trail.

They knew that their sole choice now was to build a portage, or overland route, so they could drag their canoes to the point where the rapids ended. This was not an easy undertaking, and it would take days to build the trail.

The tree trunks acted as rollers, allowing a man to harness the canoe to his body with a rope and pull—like a horse pulling a wagon while another man stood behind it with a pole and pushed and prodded the canoe as it moved sluggishly over the makeshift “road.”

The effectiveness of the fly dope ointment wore off after about a half hour—partly because they were sweating profusely from the intense heat.

"It not only cost two and a half days of severe and incessant labor, but it cost something in the damage to the canoes,” Roosevelt stated.

At three o’clock that afternoon, the current suddenly picked up its pace, and the men again heard the ominous roar of rapids.

Four grueling days later, the canoes were back on the river. But the expedition traveled only one mile before reaching another set of impassable rapids. Disheartened, the men moored their canoes securely to some trees and set up camp.

Four grueling days later, the canoes were back on the river. But the expedition traveled only one mile before reaching another set of impassable rapids. Disheartened, the men moored their canoes securely to some trees and set up camp.

Four grueling days later, the canoes were back on the river. But the expedition traveled only one mile before reaching another set of impassable rapids. Disheartened, the men moored their canoes securely to some trees and set up camp.

Roosevelt figured that the rising river caused the leaky canoe to sink, pulling the canoe it was tied to under as well. Once the canoes were sunk, the water yanked and pulled them free from their moors. The canoes were then swept away, crashing into rocks that pulverized them to bits.

There was no doubt that morale was low.

Building a new canoe was backbreaking, tedious work that cost the expedition precious time.

If it turned out that the River of Doubt was a tributary of the Amazon River, they estimated that they had to travel another four hundred miles.

Malaria was the most feared and the most prevalent disease in the Amazon.

The first signs of malaria include a teeth-chattering chill along with a pounding headache, followed by a dangerously high fever, and then profuse sweating. At this point, the victim is usually extremely exhausted and weak, and can do nothing but sleep. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, and in some cases if left untreated, kidney failure, seizures, confusion, and death.

At the time, the only medicine to combat malaria was quinine, which is extracted from the bark of the cinchona tree.

João and Simplicio didn’t want to disobey Rondon’s order to stay put, but they didn’t want to disobey Kermit’s order, either. Feeling obligated, they started paddling the canoe downstream toward the island.

Knowing it was his best and, most likely, only chance to save himself, he reached up. His arm burned with fatigue as his wet hand seized the branch. With his last bit of strength, Kermit pulled himself out of the water and climbed onto the river’s muddy edge.

The men speculated that when he went over the waterfall, his body must have been pulled underwater and beaten against the boulders, drowning him.

Since first spotting the expedition members, the Cinta Larga had been holding tribal meetings, trying to decide if they should go to war and kill the invaders. Since they weren’t governed by a chief, the decision had to be unanimous.

Despite the fact that the Cinta Larga had attacked and killed his beloved dog, Rondon left the tribe some beads and metal axes in an effort to keep the peace. Even so, Rondon and the others knew that this gesture of goodwill was no guarantee that the Cinta Larga wouldn’t attack.

There was no denying that their situation was looking grim.

“So far the country had offered little in the way of food except palm-tops,” Roosevelt wrote. “We had lost four canoes and one man. We were in the country of wild Indians, who shot well with their bows. It behooved us to go warily, but also to make all speed possible, if we were to avoid serious trouble.”

“So far the country had offered little in the way of food except palm-tops,” Roosevelt wrote. “We had lost four canoes and one man. We were in the country of wild Indians, who shot well with their bows. It behooved us to go warily, but also to make all speed possible, if we were to avoid serious trouble.”

Above the din of the rapids, the men could hear the wooden canoes scraping and thumping into the rocks.

“I had urged, and Kermit had urged, as strongly as possible that the name be kept as Rio da Dúvida [River of Doubt]. We felt that the 'River of Doubt’ was an unusually good name...But my kind friends insisted otherwise, and it would be churlish of me to object...I was much touched by their action, and the ceremony itself,” Roosevelt wrote.

The wood from the tatajuba tree proved to be too hard and heavy, and its lack of buoyancy contributed to the canoe’s demise.

The wood from the tatajuba tree proved to be too hard and heavy, and its lack of buoyancy contributed to the canoe’s demise.

All they knew for certain was that the deteriorating conditions had brought out the worst in Julio.

“There is a universal saying...when men are off in the wilds...they show themselves as they really are...A man may be a pleasant companion when you always meet him clad in dry clothes, and certain of substantial meals at regulated intervals, but the same cheery individual may seem a very different person when you are both on half rations, eaten cold, and have been drenched for three days—sleeping from utter exhaustion, cramped and wet,” Kermit wrote.

“Kermit was extraordinarily lucky to escape alive from the accident in which Simplicio perished,” said Roosevelt.

Cherrie, himself suffering from painful tick bites, was standing at the foot of the rapids and watched as three camaradas held on to a rope tied to two canoes that were careening down a narrow channel.

When the canoes came around a sharp bend, jagged rocks unexpectedly grabbed a hold of one while a tangle of vines and fallen trees ensnared it.

The young Roosevelt told Rondon that he had complete confidence in his own rope skills. Kermit believed that he would be able to transport some—if not all—of the empty canoes down the precarious rapids and waterfalls.
It was a dangerous, if not impossible, proposition. Nevertheless, Cherrie and Lyra backed him up, believing Kermit’s plan was their best chance.

The young Roosevelt told Rondon that he had complete confidence in his own rope skills. Kermit believed that he would be able to transport some—if not all—of the empty canoes down the precarious rapids and waterfalls.
It was a dangerous, if not impossible, proposition. Nevertheless, Cherrie and Lyra backed him up, believing Kermit’s plan was their best chance.

Rondon listened carefully and finally relented. But he knew it was going to be the toughest portage to date, and so he ordered everyone to leave behind what they didn’t absolutely need.

Cherrie knew that this type of bird, a scavenging bird of prey, didn’t live in the forest, so it was possible that once they traveled through this chain of mountains, they would reach open country, which would make their journey easier.