There are also to be taken into account the stoppages occasioned by the bends in the river, the numerous islands which had to be rounded, the shoals which had to be avoided, and the hours of halting, which were necessarily lost when the night was too dark to advance securely, so that we cannot allow more than twenty-five kilometers for each twenty-four hours.
In addition, the surface of the water is far from being completely clear.

Trees still green, vegetable remains, islets of plants constantly torn from the banks, formed quite a flotilla of fragments carried on by the currents, and were so many obstacles to speedy navigation.
The mouth of the Nanay was soon passed, and lost to sight behind a point on the left bank, which, with its carpet of russet grasses tinted by the sun, formed a ruddy relief to the green forests on the horizon.
The jangada took the center of the stream between the numerous picturesque islands, of which there are a dozen between Iquitos and Pucalppa.
Araujo, who did not forget to clear his vision and his memory by an occasional application to his demijohn, maneuvered very ably when passing through this archipelago.

At his word of command fifty poles from each side of the raft were raised in the air, and struck the water with an automatic movement very curious to behold.
While this was going on, Yaquita, aided by Lina and Cybele, was getting everything in order, and the Indian cooks were preparing the breakfast.
As for the two young fellows and Minha, they were walking up and down in company with Padre Passanha, and from time to time the lady stopped and watered the plants which were placed about the base of the dwelling-house.
"Well, padre," said Benito, "do you know a more agreeable way of traveling ?" "No, my dear boy," replied the padre; "it is truly traveling with all one's belongings." "And without any fatigue," added Manoel; "we might do hundreds of thousands of miles in this way." "And," said Minha, "you do not repent having taken passage with us?
Does it not seem to you as if we were afloat on an island drifted quietly away from the bed of the river with its prairies and its trees?
Only----" "Only ?" repeated the padre.
"Only we have made the island with our own hands; it belongs to us, and I prefer it to all the islands of the Amazon.

I have a right to be proud of it." "Yes, my daughter; and I absolve you from your pride.

Besides, I am not allowed to scold you in the presence of Manoel!" "But, on the other hand," replied she, gayly, "you should teach Manoel to scold me when I deserve it.