This year Joam Garral decided to do as he had done in preceding
years. Only, when the raft was made up, he was going to leave to
Benito all the detail of the trading part of the business. But there
was no time to lose. The beginning of June was the best season to
start, for the waters, increased by the floods of the upper basin,
would gradually and gradually subside until the month of October.
The first steps had thus to be taken without delay, for the raft was
to be of unusual proportions. It would be necessary to fell a
half-mile square of the forest which was situated at the junction of
the Nanay and the Amazon--that is to say, the whole river side of the
fazenda, to form the enormous mass, for such were the _jangadas,_ or
river rafts, which attained the dimensions of a small island.
It was in this _jangada,_ safer than any other vessel of the country,
larger than a hundred _egariteas_ or _vigilingas_ coupled together,
that Joam Garral proposed to embark with his family, his servants,
and his merchandise.
"Excellent idea!" had cried Minha, clapping her hands, when she
learned her father's scheme.
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