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.

"Yes," said Yaquita, "and in that way we shall reach Belem without
danger or fatigue."

"And during the stoppages we can have some hunting in the forests
which line the banks," added Benito.

"Won't it take rather long?" observed Manoel; "could we not hit upon
some quicker way of descending the Amazon?"

It would take some time, obviously, but the interested observation of
the young doctor received no attention from any one.

Joam Garral then called in an Indian who was the principal manager of
the fazenda.