Rondon and TR locked horns over de Lima, and it was a ferocious argument. TR wanted to abandon de Lima to his fate in the rainforest. To TR and the other Americans, if de Lima was found and brought back to the group, not only would it take a toll on the limited manpower to constantly watch him, but once again the limited provisions would be in danger of being looted/consumed. But TR knew it wasn't his decision to make, and he stepped aside. Rondon ordered two camaradas to go and locate de Lima, and as TR and Kermit predicted, Rondon surveyed the river while de Lima was being sought.
TR wanted men to scout ahead for rapids, but Rondon dismissed that idea as a waste of time and effort, even though (according to Cherrie) a distant roar could be heard ahead. Sure enough, more difficult rapids awaited, but at least a large catfish (a pirarara) was caught for dinner. To the surprise of those cutting open the catfish, the head and arm of a monkey was seen. And then the two camaradas sent to find de Lima returned . . . alone. They never caught sight of Julio de Lima, who faced "Jungle Justice" after all. The 19 remaining members of the expedition knew they weren't much better off than de Lima.
TR wanted men to scout ahead for rapids, but Rondon dismissed that idea as a waste of time and effort, even though (according to Cherrie) a distant roar could be heard ahead. Sure enough, more difficult rapids awaited, but at least a large catfish (a pirarara) was caught for dinner. To the surprise of those cutting open the catfish, the head and arm of a monkey was seen. And then the two camaradas sent to find de Lima returned . . . alone. They never caught sight of Julio de Lima, who faced "Jungle Justice" after all. The 19 remaining members of the expedition knew they weren't much better off than de Lima.
On 8 April 1914, the men encountered so many rapids that they only traveled three miles that day. And 9 April 1914 was even worse, with only a maximum of 15 minutes of calm water between rapids. And to make matters even more dire, by that point the men were only eating enough to stay alive; the idea that they would die became a corrosive burden for all.
Then Kermit and TR decided to spend a day looking for Kermit's lost dog, to whom he'd become beyond-attached. The dog had disappeared into the rainforest the day before; even Cherrie believed that it was a mistake to spend a day searching for the dog. The camaradas must have been very confused, in that TR and Kermit didn't want to spend a day searching for de Lima, but had no problem doing so for an animal.
Then two pieces of good news arrived. First, camaradas returned with Kermit's dog, but the news that had the potential benefit for all the men was that evidence was discovered that rubber tappers had been in the area. That meant that people had come upriver to tap trees for rubber sap; it was the first sign of civilization the men had encountered since starting down the River of Doubt.
Then Kermit and TR decided to spend a day looking for Kermit's lost dog, to whom he'd become beyond-attached. The dog had disappeared into the rainforest the day before; even Cherrie believed that it was a mistake to spend a day searching for the dog. The camaradas must have been very confused, in that TR and Kermit didn't want to spend a day searching for de Lima, but had no problem doing so for an animal.
Then two pieces of good news arrived. First, camaradas returned with Kermit's dog, but the news that had the potential benefit for all the men was that evidence was discovered that rubber tappers had been in the area. That meant that people had come upriver to tap trees for rubber sap; it was the first sign of civilization the men had encountered since starting down the River of Doubt.
While encouraging, the discovery of the presence of rubber tappers meant that the men were most likely in a "No Man's Land" between unmapped rainforest and the edges of pioneer civilization downriver. Days passed, but the men saw no additional signs of any rubber tappers, and they kept facing rapids.
15 April 1914 was what TR called a "Red Letter Day", in that after traveling on the river for over three hours, the men saw a simple house with a small rubber-smoking hut right next to it. Joaquim Antonio and his wife & child were not there, and Rondon refused to give his men permission to raid their stores. A mile downriver the men saw a canoe with one man, but Raymundo Marques fled to the banks of the river. However, when he heard Rondon call for him, Marques came back. Marques stated that he had been shocked to see any boats coming downriver, fearing the Cinta Larga.
But the expedition was still far from civilization, and TR was barely clinging to life. TR was so sick that he couldn't even sit up in his dugout, but neither could he lie down, due to a lack of space. If TR didn't reach help soon, he would die: his right leg was still (potentially lethally) infected, with a deep pus-filled abscess in his right lower thigh.
15 April 1914 was what TR called a "Red Letter Day", in that after traveling on the river for over three hours, the men saw a simple house with a small rubber-smoking hut right next to it. Joaquim Antonio and his wife & child were not there, and Rondon refused to give his men permission to raid their stores. A mile downriver the men saw a canoe with one man, but Raymundo Marques fled to the banks of the river. However, when he heard Rondon call for him, Marques came back. Marques stated that he had been shocked to see any boats coming downriver, fearing the Cinta Larga.
But the expedition was still far from civilization, and TR was barely clinging to life. TR was so sick that he couldn't even sit up in his dugout, but neither could he lie down, due to a lack of space. If TR didn't reach help soon, he would die: his right leg was still (potentially lethally) infected, with a deep pus-filled abscess in his right lower thigh.
TRs blood pressure dropped and his heart rate had increased along with his temperature. It was impossible to tell if his chills were due to malaria or to infection. TR kept delaying any surgery, not because of a lack of anesthetic, but that the operation would have to be conducted in perhaps the least-safe environment on Earth.
Joaquim Antonio found TR and Rondon in his hut while starving men made dinner over a fire his wife had started for them. Antonio agreed to sell provisions and two large canoes to the expedition, and even offered to help them hire a guide. More importantly, Antonio told the men of their exact location on the river. Along with the joy in receiving that news came the realization why they had made it that far: the Cinta Larga had let them live. In the end, the Cinta Larga favored concealment and flight over attack, taking the certainty of staying hidden over the uncertainty of engagement. As long as the expedition kept moving through their land without posing a threat, the Cinta Larga chose to not attack. For their own reasons, and on their own terms, the Cinta Larga let Theodore Roosevelt and the other men live.
Joaquim Antonio found TR and Rondon in his hut while starving men made dinner over a fire his wife had started for them. Antonio agreed to sell provisions and two large canoes to the expedition, and even offered to help them hire a guide. More importantly, Antonio told the men of their exact location on the river. Along with the joy in receiving that news came the realization why they had made it that far: the Cinta Larga had let them live. In the end, the Cinta Larga favored concealment and flight over attack, taking the certainty of staying hidden over the uncertainty of engagement. As long as the expedition kept moving through their land without posing a threat, the Cinta Larga chose to not attack. For their own reasons, and on their own terms, the Cinta Larga let Theodore Roosevelt and the other men live.
According to their hosts, it would take the expedition another 15 days on the River of Doubt to reach the confluence of the Aripuana, where Rondon and the rest hoped Lt. Pyrineus and his men were waiting. If the expedition needed additional food or a canoe, they could purchase them from their hosts. But TR needed a hospital immediately, not in 15 days. No one on the expedition was healthy, with the exception of the seemingly invincible Rondon. TR continued to fight for his life for Kermit's sake; TR completely understood that he was in grave peril. TR's pain reached the point where he finally allowed Dr. Cajazeira to operate on 16 April 1914. While the doctor cut open and drained the infected wound, TR never complained.
Due to the generosity of the rubber tappers, especially Marques who provided a canoe and food for no payment, and a guide that knew that part of the river, the expedition was ready to go. Speed was now paramount, in that TR's infection had spread to his right buttock. And while there was now plenty of food, TR didn't want to eat; Kermit was obsessed with the thought that he might not be able to bring his father out of the river alive.
Due to the generosity of the rubber tappers, especially Marques who provided a canoe and food for no payment, and a guide that knew that part of the river, the expedition was ready to go. Speed was now paramount, in that TR's infection had spread to his right buttock. And while there was now plenty of food, TR didn't want to eat; Kermit was obsessed with the thought that he might not be able to bring his father out of the river alive.
The expedition encountered another series of rapids, and for TR, what lay ahead was simply deliverance or death. The expedition had the extreme good fortune to cross paths with the main rubber tapper in that part of the river, Jose Caripe, who was in essence the overall boss of the tappers. Caripe took over as the expedition's guide, and exchanged a dugout for a canoe. With three new boats and Caripe's guidance, it took only a day-and-a-half to navigate the rapids. Caripe showed not only where to go on the river, but also where to portage while on land.
The only casualty was Kermit's dog, who once again wandered off into the rainforest, never to be seen again; Kermit was devastated, but TR was the priority. On 26 April 1914, the expedition passed through a stretch of rainforest that had been partially submerged during the rainy season. In the distance, the men saw a row of neat tents lined up on one of the banks of the river - Lt. Pyrineus and his six men had been at that location for six weeks, with their fears rising every day that Rondon hadn't made it through the River of Doubt.
The only casualty was Kermit's dog, who once again wandered off into the rainforest, never to be seen again; Kermit was devastated, but TR was the priority. On 26 April 1914, the expedition passed through a stretch of rainforest that had been partially submerged during the rainy season. In the distance, the men saw a row of neat tents lined up on one of the banks of the river - Lt. Pyrineus and his six men had been at that location for six weeks, with their fears rising every day that Rondon hadn't made it through the River of Doubt.