[177] The following dialogue between Mme. Coudreau and one of her boatmen, Joas-Felix, who was the spokesman of his companions, illustrates not only the bravery of the daring explorer, but also the pusillanimity of her half-breed personnel when in the depths of the forest at night: "'Madam has no fear?' "'Fear of what?' "'Of tigers.' "'No, it is not of tigers that I have fear.' "'Of Indians?' "'Neither have I fear of Indians.' "'Then, madam, it is something which is in the woods, which we do not know, that can harm us.' "'You know very well what frightens me. I am afraid that the bats will attack my chickens during the night. If you hear them making a noise you must get up.' "I laugh heartily in observing their astonished look and ask myself how men whose consciences are stained with many bloody crimes can have fear here. Joas-Felix gives me the explanation: "'Madam makes game of us. None the less, madam, I am a man in the city and in the savanna. With my poignard and machete I fear nothing, neither man nor beast. But here, madam, where everything is dark, even in the daytime; where an enemy may be lying in wait for us behind every tree; it is not the same thing. It would be impossible for me to live in the forest. One cannot see far enough in it.' "Now I understand better their terror. The mysterious depth of the virgin forest impresses them. The opaque obscurity of the night in the underwood contrasts too strongly with the moonlit savanna where they have been reared. The low and sombre vault of the woods oppresses them and they imagine they are going to be crushed. They lose their heads and see in every tree a phantom enemy. To reason with them is useless, for when fear takes possession of them, there is nothing to be done." _Voyage au Maycuru_, p. 127. [178] _Voyage au Maycuru_, p. 1, Paris, 1903. [179] _Voyage au Rio Curua_, p. 85, Paris, 1903. [180] Ibid., p. 1. [181] In order that the reader may realize the immense extent of territory that was covered by this strenuous woman's explorations, during the twelve years she spent in Amazonia, it suffices to give the titles of her books, all of which are profusely illustrated by photographs taken by herself and by accurate charts of rivers, whose courses were previously almost unknown. The books written in collaboration with her husband are _Voyage au Tapajos_, _Voyage au Xingu_, _Voyage au Tocantins-Araguaya_, _Voyage au Itaboca et a l'Etacayuna_, _Voyage entre Tocantins et Xingu_, _et Voyage au Yamunda_. The books written by Mme. Coudreau after her husband's death are _Voyage au Trombetas_, _Voyage au Cumina_, _Voyage au Rio Curua_, _Voyage a la Mapuera_ and _Voyage au Maycuru_.