The lake is usually full of fish; there are three species with soft flesh, which are not very tasty: the guavina, the bagre and the sardina. The last two reach the lake from streams. The guavina, which I sketched on the spot, was some 20 inches long and 3 to 5 inches wide. It is perhaps a new species of Gronovius's Erythrina. It has silver scales bordered with green. This fish is extremely voracious and destroys other species. Fishermen assured us that a little crocodile, the bava, which often swam near as we bathed, contributed to the destruction of the fish. We never managed to catch this reptile and examine it close up. It is said to be very innocent; yet its habits, like its shape, clearly resemble the alligator or Crocodilus acutus. It swims so that only the tips of its snout and tail show: it lies at midday on deserted beaches.

April 24th. A violent rainstorm forced us to embark before dawn. We left at two in the morning and had to abandon some books, which we could not find in the dark. The river runs straight from south to north, its banks are low and lined with thick jungle.