To-morrow we Disappear into the Unknown

           IwillnotborethosewhomthisnarrativemayreachbyanaccountofourluxuriousvoyageupontheBoothliner,norwillItellofourweek’sstayatPara(savethatIshouldwishtoacknowledgethegreatkindnessofthePereiradaPintaCompanyinhelpingustogettogetherourequipment).Iwillalsoalludeverybrieflytoourriverjourney,upawide,slow-moving,clay-tintedstream,inasteamerwhichwaslittlesmallerthanthatwhichhadcarriedusacrosstheAtlantic.EventuallywefoundourselvesthroughthenarrowsofObidosandreachedthetownofManaos.HerewewererescuedfromthelimitedattractionsofthelocalinnbyMr.Shortman,therepresentativeoftheBritishandBrazilianTradingCompany.InhishospitalFazendawespentourtimeuntilthedaywhenwewereempoweredtoopentheletterofinstructionsgiventousbyProfessorChallenger.BeforeIreachthesurprisingeventsofthatdateIwoulddesiretogiveaclearersketchofmycomradesinthisenterprise,andoftheassociateswhomwehadalreadygatheredtogetherinSouthAmerica.Ispeakfreely,andIleavetheuseofmymaterialtoyourowndiscretion,Mr.McArdle,sinceitisthroughyourhandsthatthisreportmustpassbeforeitreachestheworld.

           ThescientificattainmentsofProfessorSummerleearetoowellknownformetotroubletorecapitulatethem.Heisbetterequippedforaroughexpeditionofthissortthanonewouldimagineatfirstsight.Histall,gaunt,stringyfigureisinsensibletofatigue,andhisdry,half-sarcastic,andoftenwhollyunsympatheticmannerisuninfluencedbyanychangeinhissurroundings.Thoughinhissixty-sixthyear,Ihaveneverheardhimexpressanydissatisfactionattheoccasionalhardshipswhichwehavehadtoencounter.Ihadregardedhispresenceasanencumbrancetotheexpedition,but,asamatteroffact,Iamnowwellconvincedthathispowerofenduranceisasgreatasmyown.Intemperheisnaturallyacidandsceptical.