After a short rest and a long pull of _aguardiente_ we pushed on again. Soon a gentle breeze began to blow, which was very agreeable, for the heat was scorching; it gradually increased, however, until it got to be quite a nuisance, raising waves nearly two feet high and blowing against the _pamacari_ with such force that we were once more in danger of capsizing. Finally, the situation became so ticklish--for we did not dare to approach the bank on account of the dangers from falling trees, &c.--that, much to our regret, we were obliged to remove the _pamacari_, leaving nothing but the bare framework. Things went better then, and in accordance with our usual luck, the wind soon after ceased and within an hour all was calm again. In some seasons of the year fierce tempests take place on the rivers of the Amazon basin, called _turbonadas_. These are generally accompanied by lightning, torrential rains, &c., and the wind, often attaining a velocity of from twenty to thirty metres per second, blows down trees and causes such large waves and whirlpools that canoes are often overturned and lost unless great care is taken. At two o'clock we unexpectedly reached Guepí, a scattered collection of three Colombian rubber-trading establishments, about a kilometre apart from each other. We stopped for an hour or so at the first house, belonging to one Señor Muñoz; this was a large split-palm bungalow, raised about six feet above the level of the ground in order to prevent flooding during the wet season, when the river overflows its banks. It appeared to be uncompleted, for there were no walls, although the roof and the elevated floor were finished, and the latter was covered with a miscellaneous collection of _bultos_, heaps of _yuca_ and plantains, pots and kettles, _peons_ in hammocks, pieces of rubber, and other things too numerous to mention. The inhabitants seemed to be taking life easily and not worrying about a rainy day, for they all knocked off as soon as we appeared and began simultaneously to talk and to fill themselves and us with _aguardiente_. They seemed to be a merry, jovial lot, and when we left insisted upon presenting us with a dozen eggs and a whole lot of _papayas_ and plantains. [Illustration: A TYPICAL RIVER BANK CLEARING. [To face p. 108.] At about 3.30 we reached the settlement of Señor Fajardo, another bungalow, somewhat smaller than Muñoz', but on much the same style. Here we were also cordially received by the proprietor, a small, dark-complexioned man of about fifty, and his buxom wife. As they both pressed us to stop all night with them we gladly assented, and, accompanying them to the house, we were introduced to Drs. Ortiz and Hernandez, two of the recently exiled political prisoners from Mocoa, who, it appears, had escaped from the escort at this place and were about to set out for Iquitos via the River Napo.