Amazon Adventure (Barclay Family Adventure Ser)

Amazon Adventure BY

Ed Hanson

THE BARCLAY FAMILY ADVENTURES

1: BOOK 2: BOOK 3: BOOK 4: BOOK 5: BOOK 6: BOOK 7: BOOK 8: BOOK 9: BOOK 10: BOOK

Amazon Adventure Danger at 20 Fathoms Desert Ordeal Forest Fire Hostages Lost at Sea Mountain Blizzard Tornado The Pass The Swamp

Development and Production: Laurel Associates, Inc. Cover and Interior Art: Black Eagle Productions

Three Watson Irvine, CA 92618-2767 Website: www.sdlback.com Copyright © 2003 by Saddleback Educational Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher.

ISBN 1-56254-550-7 Printed in the United States of America 08 07 06 05 04 03 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

CONTENTS CHAPTER

PAGE

1 The Riverboat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2 The Mighty River . . . . . . . . . . .12 3 Lost on the Amazon . . . . . . . . .21 4 Uncharted Territory . . . . . . . . .27 5 Deep in the Jungle . . . . . . . . . .32 6 The Mud Bog . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 7 Anaconda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 8 Piranha Feast . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 9 The Deadly Army . . . . . . . . . . .51 10 A Deserted Village . . . . . . . . . .55 11 Safe at Last . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

MEET THE BARCLAYS

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Paul Barclay A fun-loving father of three who takes his kids on his travels whenever he can.

Ann Barclay The devoted mother who manages the homefront during Paul’s many absences as an on-site construction engineer.

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Jim Barclay The eldest child, Jim is a talented athlete with his eye on a football scholarship at a major college.

Aaron Barclay Three years younger than Jim, he’s inquisitive, daring, and an absolute whiz in science class.

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Pam Barclay Adopted from Korea as a baby, Pam is a spunky middle-schooler who more than holds her own with her lively older brothers.

CHAPTER 1

The Riverboat The small Presidente Vargas Airport in western Brazil was nearly empty. One of the few people there was Paul Barclay, a construction engineer. He was in Brazil to work on the construction of a big dam. Before long, a plane landed. The tall American waved as he saw his three children exit the aircraft. As they came down the steps, he ran forward and hugged them one by one. “Gee, you kids look great!” he said. “School must really agree with you!” Jim, the oldest at 16, laughed. “Yeah, we’re doing okay, Dad.” Nine-year-old Pam hugged her dad. “Oh, school’s okay, I guess. At least I have a lot of neat friends.” Aaron, 13, was the next to speak up. “I’m the top student in my science class, Dad!” he said. 5

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Paul Barclay led his family toward the baggage claim area. “I’m so glad you’re here,” he told them. “Now—I have a surprise for you.” Jim groaned. “I know—another long ride on an airplane.” After the kids claimed their bags, Paul led the way to a taxi in front of the terminal. “No,” their father said. “We’re not taking an airplane ride.” The taxi was old and rusty. Its engine sputtered as it rolled into the village. All three Barclay kids looked around them in wonder. The dusty streets and the small wooden buildings were a strange sight. They even passed donkey-drawn carts piled high with bananas! The streets were full of people, the men in cotton shirts and jeans. The women wore brightly colored clothes. Most of them carried baskets. “Where are we, Dad?” Jim asked. “I thought we were going to that modern 6

The Riverboat • 1

city they’ve built near the dam. I think you said it was called Boa Vista.” “That’s right,” Paul said. “But the airline that serves Boa Vista is on strike. We’re going there by boat.” “Great!” Pam sang out. “I love boats!” “Hey, a boat up the Amazon!” Aaron shouted in delight. “Wait until I tell the kids at school about this!” All of them grabbed for something to hold onto as the taxi screeched to a sudden stop. The driver yelled out words they didn’t understand at a man on a horse in the middle of the street. At the next corner, they crossed a small, busy square. A soccer ball came bouncing out of the noisy crowd, and several children ran after it. “I hope it’s not this crowded on the river,” Jim said. “It won’t be,” their father promised. After a few more jerky stops and angry shouts from the driver, the rusty old taxi left the village. 7

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Trees were thick along both sides of the road. As they went on, the surface got worse and finally turned into a bumpy track. Jim pointed to some small shacks by the roadside. They were made from sheets of tin, scraps of wood, and cardboard boxes. “What are those shacks?” Jim asked. “They call them favelas,” their father said. “Poor people live in them. There’s not much work here.” “They look pretty flimsy. What happens when it rains?” Pam asked. “That’s why some of the favelas have no roofs, honey. They were washed away by the last storm.” “I bet it rains a lot here, doesn’t it, Dad?” Aaron said. “After all, we’re going into a tropical rain forest.” “That’s right, son,” his father agreed. “The Amazon is one of the biggest rain forests in the world.” “We studied rain forests in school last semester,” Aaron went on. “The whole 8

The Riverboat • 1

human race depends on them for survival—isn’t that right?” “True,” said his father. “We haven’t preserved our rain forests very well. So many of them have been cut down, they’re actually disappearing! And so are the tribes who live there.” Soon, both Paul and the kids were aching from the rough ride. It was a great relief when the taxi finally stopped. Here, the track led down a winding slope. At the bottom, a view of the river opened up before them. “Well, here we are,” Paul said. “This is the river station.” “Yuck! That water looks really dirty,” Pam cried, wrinkling her nose. The muddy river water was moving surprisingly fast. Now and then big logs and tree branches floated by. The bank on the other side looked very far away. “I didn’t think the river would be this wide!” Jim exclaimed. “The Amazon is one of the world’s 9

AMAZON ADVENTURE

largest rivers, Jim. In some places, it’s a lot wider than this,” Paul said. After unloading the luggage from the taxi, Paul paid the driver. The Barclays carried their bags toward the wooden dock. “There’s only one boat,” Jim said. “So I guess it must be ours.” “That’s it,” said his father. “That’s the Amazon Queen.” “It doesn’t look like much of a queen,” Aaron grumbled. And it didn’t. The shabby old boat was obviously in need of repair. Its paint was peeling, and there were large patches of rust on its sides. “You should see some of the others!” Paul said jokingly. “Is it safe?” Aaron wanted to know. Paul nodded. “This boat’s been going up and down the Amazon for 30 years. It’s never had an accident—or so Captain Azevedo tells me.” Pam was impressed. 10

The Riverboat • 1

“Is he really a captain?” she asked. “Every riverboat pilot on the Amazon calls himself a captain, Buttons,” her father said. “But Mr. Azevedo has lots of experience.” The old wooden dock creaked and groaned as they walked across it. Just then a man climbed up on the deck. “Barclay?” he called out. “Yes, I’m Paul Barclay—and this is my family.” The man had bloodshot eyes, wild hair, and a long, scraggly, black beard. His clothes weren’t clean. All four Barclays looked at him unhappily. The man gave them a tight smile. “I am Captain Ronaldo,” he said. Paul looked confused. “But where is Captain Azevedo?” he asked the rumpled stranger. “Sick. He got fever—but no problem. I take you to Boa Vista.”

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CHAPTER 2

The Mighty River The Barclays stood on the bow of the Amazon Queen, watching the changing view. In some places, enormous trees climbed high into the air. They looked like great, green umbrellas! In other places, tree trunks leaned far out over the river. Trash of all kinds floated on the water’s muddy brown surface. But as they traveled upriver, the water became cleaner. All along the way, brightly colored birds fluttered out of the trees and swooped around them. Paul wanted to talk to the captain. He’d learned a little Portuguese, the national language, while working on the dam. He’d explained to his children that the Portuguese were the first settlers in Brazil. The Brazilians themselves, being very proud of their country, call their 12

The Mighty River • 2

native language Brasileiro. Paul used the few Portuguese words he knew to communicate with the boat’s only other passengers. A married couple and their two children were coming back home from a funeral. They lived in a village farther down the river. Paul peeked into the wheelhouse of the Amazon Queen. Inside, Captain Ronaldo was steering the boat. A brown bottle was at his side. Paul watched uneasily as the captain took a long drink from it. Paul knew that the bottle contained cachaça, a powerful rum-like drink made from sugar cane. After a few minutes, he decided that the captain was able to handle the boat despite his drinking. So far, so good, he said to himself. But I’ll have to keep an eye on him. He walked forward to join his children. “Dad,” Pam said, “what are those?” She pointed to several dark shapes floating in the water near the riverbank. 13

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“They look like logs, but they keep moving,” Pam said. Just then, one of the shapes swam away from the group! “They’re alligators,” Paul said. Pam gulped. “Are they dangerous?” she asked in a small voice. Before her father could answer, all the shapes started to move away from the riverbank. Like a squadron of ships, they quickly headed toward the boat. Now the Barclays could make out the animals’ long noses and small eyes. The tips of their tails were far behind their heads. They were large creatures! Then one of the ’gators opened its mouth wide. Pam shuddered and then squeezed closer to her father. Aaron gasped, and Jim said, “Wow, look at that!” “They come up to riverboats because they think there may be food here,” Paul explained. “Food?” Jim said. “You mean us?” 14

The Mighty River • 2

“In Brazil, people probably feed alligators the way we feed pigeons in the park,”Aaron chuckled. “No luck today!” Pam shouted at the alligators. “You can go home now.” The others laughed. Again Paul peeked through the dirty window of the wheelhouse. The captain was taking one last drink before putting down the empty bottle. The Costalino family came on deck. When the parents said, “Bom dia,” Paul told his children they were wishing them “Good day. ” Jim, Aaron, and Pam said “Bom dia” in return. The young Costalinos, a darkhaired boy about 10 and a girl about 13, laughed at their accents. “Now why don’t you tell them how to say it in English?” Paul suggested. When the Costalino kids tried it, it was the Barclay kids’ turn to laugh. In a few minutes, two conversations were going at once. Paul was trying to talk to 15

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the parents in slow Brasiliero while the five children were pointing to different objects and naming them in their own languages. Then everyone seemed to get hungry at once. Down in the cabin the Barclay kids took out the food their dad had bought in the village. The Costalinos opened their own lunch bags, and both families shared with each other. Paul had bought several of his children’s favorite foods. There was white bread, cans of tuna fish, chocolate chip cookies, and soft drinks. Emilio and Serafina, the Costalino kids, chattered excitedly as they tasted each new American food. The Barclay kids found the Brazilian foods interesting, too. The bread was strangely brown and heavy. The chicken strips in a spicy sauce were very tasty. When Pam tried fresh pineapple, she whispered to Jim that she liked canned pineapple better. 16

The Mighty River • 2

After the meal, they all went back on deck. Paul noticed that Captain Ronaldo had opened a fresh bottle of cachaça. He was getting very worried. “We’re getting deeper into the Amazon jungle now,” Paul told the kids. “Before long we’ll be seeing a lot more birds and other wildlife. And you’ll notice the noise level going up. Some jungles are quiet—but not the Amazon. It can actually be deafening at times.” As they went on, the river got wider— although they still could see both banks. Then the sun began to dip in the sky. “The sun goes down very quickly in Brazil,” Paul explained. “That’s because we’re so close to the equator,” Aaron added. Now Captain Ronaldo was turning the boat toward one riverbank. “Are we stopping?” Pam asked. “It’s not safe on the river at night,” Paul said. “There are no lights, and lots of creatures come out at night.” 17

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Pam shivered. Her father patted her on the shoulder. “We’ll be all right, though. Don’t worry, honey. We’ll sleep on the boat, safely moored at the dock.” Before long, the boat pulled up to a small, wooden dock. Two Brazilians came out to help them tie up to a post. The Barclays got off the boat and walked up to a rickety, old building. “This is a kind of trading post,” Paul explained. “It also serves as a gas station for the riverboats.” The Barclay kids looked through the merchandise in the trading post. Nothing they saw interested them very much. “There are much better things to buy in Boa Vista,” Paul told the kids. “And everything here is way too expensive. That’s because the goods have to be transported so far.” After a light meal, they went to their bunks on the boat. The Barclays were all crammed into one cabin. Pam was the 18

The Mighty River • 2

first to start slapping at herself. “Something’s biting me!” she cried. Jim was the next to complain. “Mosquitoes,” their father said. He went out on deck and came back in a few minutes. “It will be okay now,” he said. “The captain has lit the lamp.” “The lamp?” Aaron asked. “It burns a special kind of weed,” Paul said. “Mosquitoes hate the smell. It may take a minute or two, but they’ll fly away when the smoke gets all through the boat.” None of them had gone to sleep when Pam said, “I can smell it now, Dad.” “Me, too,” Jim said. “I hope the smoke won’t be worse than the mosquitoes.” “Believe me,” their father laughed, “nothing can be worse than mosquitoes! Try to get some sleep now.” Soon the annoying buzz of the tiny insects faded away. That made the noises of the jungle seem even louder. In the 19

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calm night air, the Barclays could now hear cries, shrieks, and calls of all kinds. There was a loud whooping sound followed by a roar—and then another. There were hisses, squeaks, and long, drawn out howls. “What a racket!” Pam complained. “Don’t the jungle creatures ever sleep?” The strange noises went on—but one by one, the weary Barclays finally drifted off to sleep.

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CHAPTER 3

Lost on the Amazon Nobody slept well. The jungle noises and the heat were too bothersome. They were all wide awake as the sun came up. A familiar aroma was in the air. “The captain is making coffee,” Paul told the kids. After dressing, the Barclays went into the main cabin. The Costalino family was already there, clustered around the coffee maker. “Brazilians love their coffee,” Paul explained. “A lot of the people I’ve met here drink a dozen cups a day.” “How come? Don’t they have any milk?” Pam asked. There was no milk. The two Costalino children were drinking coffee. Since they seemed to be enjoying it, Pam had a cup, 21

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too. She immediately wrinkled her nose at the bitter taste. “Brazilians drink their coffee very strong,” Paul explained, as he added some water to Pam’s cup. The boat began to shake as the engine started. Two Brazilians on the dock cast the ropes loose. Minutes later, the Amazon Queen was moving downriver. The air was already hot. Patches of the river were steamy, and big drops of water dripped off the branches of the trees. The Barclays chatted with their new friends, the Costalinos. Pam, Jim, and Aaron found it wasn’t that hard to communicate—even though they didn’t speak Brasiliero and the Costalinos didn’t speak English. “Sign language,” Aaron said. “This must be how early human beings talked. It’s amazing how much you can say without using words!” Paul frowned when he saw that Captain Ronaldo was holding another 22

Lost on the Amazon • 3

bottle of cachaça. But he decided to hold his tongue—for the time being. The Costalino children called out the names of all the birds flying low over the river. Soon the Barclay kids had learned the birds’ names, too. Late in the morning, after traveling fast over the brown water, the boat slowly began to edge toward the bank. “Look over there. It’s a village!” Aaron shouted. “Hey, I bet it’s the village where the Costalinos live,” Pam cried. “How do you know?” Jim asked her. “They told me,” she giggled. A dozen or more villagers came out to welcome the Costalinos. “A riverboat visit is a big event for these folks,” Paul explained. The friendly villagers smiled and called out words that the Barclay children couldn’t understand. When the boat finally pulled away from the dock, everyone on shore waved and shouted 23

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out the same words. “What are they saying?” Aaron asked. “They’re saying Ate logo,” their father explained. “It means ‘See you soon.’” By midday, the boat was far down the river, and the sun was scorching hot. The Barclays were too tired to do anything but lie around on deck. Suddenly there was a loud splash on the other side of the boat. “Did you hear that? That must have been a really big fish,” Pam said. Paul got up and went around the wheelhouse to take a look. “I can’t see anything,” he said. Then Aaron stepped in the wheelhouse and shouted, “The captain! Where is he?” Paul ran to the stern of the boat and looked back down the river. Jim quickly joined him, followed by Pam and Aaron. Some distance back, an arm reached out of the water. It was the captain! Big, brown shapes were racing toward him. “Alligators!” Jim cried. 24

Lost on the Amazon • 3

In seconds, the massive creatures seemed to be fighting. In a moment, the churning water was red. Then it turned brown again. The Barclays stared, horrified. Paul ran into the wheelhouse. He searched for the throttle that controlled the engine. As he did so, the engine died. He struggled with the starter, but for some reason the engine wouldn’t restart. “Look!” Aaron shouted. He pointed up ahead to a split in the wide, brown river. “We’re going into the left fork,” Paul gasped. “We’re supposed to go right!” Paul struggled to turn the wheel. Seeing that his father was having trouble, Jim hurried to help. Together, they tried to pull the wheel to the right. But there wasn’t enough time to get all the way across the wide river! The boat went down the left fork— just barely missing a clump of floating 25

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trees! Again, Paul tried to start the engine, but it still wouldn’t turn over. “Look, Dad!” Aaron was pointing to the gasoline gauge. The dial pointed to empty. “We’re out of gas, Dad! I’ll bet we were supposed to fill up the gas tank when we dropped off the Costalinos!” Aaron said. “The captain forgot!” Paul was chilled by Aaron’s words. He had no doubt that his son was right. “Where will this fork of the river take us, Dad?” Aaron asked. Paul gulped. He had always believed in telling his children the truth—even when the news was bad. “It leads into the uncharted jungle.”

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CHAPTER 4

Uncharted Territory Aaron stared at his father. “What are we going to do, Dad?” he asked in a small voice. Jim and Pam stood beside him. All three kids looked anxious. “Is there anyplace we can get some gas?” Pam wanted to know. Paul shook his head. “Not along this fork of the river. As far as I know, it leads deeper and deeper into the jungle. There won’t be anywhere to get gas,” he answered. “So, what can we do?” Jim asked, trying not to panic. “We have no gas and we’re on the wrong river.” “Stay calm, kids,” Paul said. ”The only thing we can do is to try to steer the boat into the riverbank. Then we’ll go ashore 27

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and hike back to the Costalinos’ village. The way I figure it, we must be 35 to 40 miles downriver from there by now. We should be able to make it back in two days. Three at the most.” “But, Dad—that means we’ll have to be out in the jungle at night,” Pam said nervously. “Yes, Pam, I’m afraid it does. But don’t worry. We’ll find a safe place, and one of us will stand watch,” her father answered. Gradually, the boat moved nearer and nearer to the mass of green trees on the riverbank. Dense ferns grew everywhere, making it hard to see the land beyond. Bright yellow, blue, and red birds flew over them. The Amazon Queen slowly edged its way across the wide river. Jim was standing just outside the wheelhouse. Suddenly, he let out a yell. “Dad, we’re going faster!” Paul thought his son must be wrong, but then Aaron shouted, “Jim’s right, Dad! Our speed is really picking up!” 28

Uncharted Territory • 4

“Look!” Jim pointed at swirls of white water churning up the river ahead. “We must be heading for a waterfall!” he yelled. “Aaron and Pam, come inside!” Paul shouted. “I’m going to ram the bank!” In a few moments, the Barclays were gathered in the wheelhouse. “Jim, take some rope and tie it to the cleat on the bow,” Paul ordered. “When we hit the bank, jump ashore and tie the other end to the nearest big tree. It’s important that we secure the boat so we can get the supplies off of it.” The boat moved closer and closer to the bank. Paul knew this was a dangerous thing to do—but it was better than going over a waterfall! Now they were very close to the riverbank. Jim pointed at a patch of bare ground and called out, “There!” Paul turned the wheel as far as it would go and shouted, “Hang on tight!” The Amazon Queen tilted as it tore 29

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through the ferns. Then the boat rammed the bank with a shuddering thud. Jim scrambled onto the bank. He ran to a nearby tree and pulled the slack out of the rope. Then he tied it around the base of the tree. The heavy rope held the boat in place. “Now let’s pack what we can carry and go on from here. Just take important things, kids—food, water, clothes, knives, rope—things like that,” Paul said. “First, let’s get everything off the boat and lay it on the bank. Then we can decide what to take and what to leave.” An hour later, the riverbank was covered with supplies. Paul chose only the most necessary items and divided them into four piles. Then they loaded them into bags. Pam and Aaron took smaller loads, while Jim and his father carried twice as much. “Okay,” Paul said. “Let’s get a fire going. We need to eat and get some sleep now. Then we’ll be ready to get an early 30

Uncharted Territory • 4

start first thing in the morning.” During the night, the Barclays heard a terrible sound. The steady pounding of the current was ripping the boat from the riverbank and carrying it downriver! Jolted awake by all the noise, they stared into the darkness as the Amazon Queen disappeared from sight. Jim was the first to speak. “At least we were able to salvage our supplies,” he said. Paul put some more wood on the fire. Then the little group fell asleep again—all except Paul, who was standing watch.

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CHAPTER 5

Deep in the Jungle When Aaron and Pam awoke, the fire was already blazing and a pot of coffee was brewing. As they ate breakfast, Paul reminded the kids to stay close together. “The jungle will be extremely thick at times,” he said. “It would be very easy for someone to get lost. But the trip shouldn’t be too bad. All we have to do is follow the river back the way we came. That way, we can’t miss the village. “But—and this is very important—we don’t want to get too close to the river bank. You’ve already seen what the alligators can do. And there are piranhas in some parts of the river.” “What are piranhas?” Pam asked. “They’re small fish with razor-sharp teeth. They swim in schools of 100 or more. They’re very vicious little creatures that can strip the flesh from a large 32

Deep in the Jungle • 5

animal in minutes,” Paul explained. “I guess that means we don’t want to fall into the water, right, Dad?” Aaron asked anxiously. “Yes, son. Falling in the water is the very last thing we want to do!” It was 7 o’clock when the Barclays put out the fire, picked up their packs, and headed into the jungle. Paul led the way, hacking a trail through the dense underbrush. For this he used a big machete he’d salvaged from the boat. Pam trailed after her father, followed by the boys. It was very slow going. After an hour or so, Paul began to wonder if they could reach the village in only three days. At 9 o’clock, they came to a small clearing and stopped to rest. Suddenly they heard a loud howl. It sounded like a very noisy baby. Pam’s eyes grew big and round. “What is that?” she cried. Her father laughed. “It’s a howler 33

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monkey high in the trees. You can hear them from miles away. ” After a short rest, Paul said, “Time to go, kids. We won’t get to the village by sitting here. Let’s get moving.” The heat and humidity were stifling. They were all soaked with sweat. And insects were everywhere—buzzing and biting, flying in their ears, and even into their mouths! “Go away! Go away!” Pam shouted as she swatted at the bugs. Paul patted her back. “There’s a small, white flower that natives use to keep the insects away,” he said. “You crush the petals and rub them on your skin. The insects hate it and won’t come near you. But I haven’t seen any of those flowers so far. Let’s look for some, Pam. These bugs are getting to all of us.” Ten minutes later, Pam yelled, “Is this the white flower, Daddy?” Paul saw that Pam had found a good34

Deep in the Jungle • 5

size plant. They crushed the petals and rubbed them on their exposed skin. The insects quickly flew off. Once that problem was solved, they pushed on toward the river. The dense foliage made it difficult to see more than a few feet ahead. Surprisingly, the thick jungle suddenly opened into a clearing. Paul stepped forward—but then he started to sink! The soft ground was giving way! He knew what was happening immediately. He’d stumbled into a large mud bog! Like quicksand, it was dragging him under. Paul warned the children to stay back. He tried to free himself, but he couldn’t. The mud was already above his knees. And he was slowly being pulled deeper and deeper into the black ooze! Pam yelled to her brothers, “Jim! Aaron! Hurry! Daddy’s sinking into the ground!”

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CHAPTER 6

The Mud Bog Jim frantically searched his pack for a piece of rope. “Where did we put the rope?” he cried. “Aaron, look in your pack.” Aaron pulled a 25-foot piece of rope from his pack and handed it to his brother. Jim quickly tossed one end to his father. Paul was now up to his waist in the thick, oozing mud. The three kids pulled on the rope with all their might. But they couldn’t haul their father out of the bog. The suction pulling at him was just too strong. But at least he wasn’t sinking any deeper. Paul realized that he’d have to free himself. There was nothing more the children could do. He leaned backward at the waist and tried to lie flat on top of the mud. Holding tightly to the rope, he used all 36

The Mud Bog • 6

his strength to wriggle his legs and lift them up to ground level. It was a slow process, but he gradually moved his legs to the surface of the bog. Finally, Paul was lying on top of the mud, floating like a swimmer. Inch by inch, the kids were able to pull their father to safety. Paul was exhausted. “Thanks, guys,” he gasped. “Tossing me that rope saved my life.” “That was really a close one!” Aaron said. “There sure are a lot of dangers in the jungle, aren’t there, Dad?” “There certainly are,” Paul replied. “We’ll have to be more careful. Now let’s get around this bog and back to the river. We won’t wander away from it again.” About 20 minutes later, they came to another small opening in the jungle. From there they could see the mighty Amazon River about 30 yards away. It was almost 4 o’clock. Everyone was tired and hungry, but Paul insisted they push on. They’d wasted a lot of time 37

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today, and he wanted to make it up. As they went on, they made sure to stay in sight of the river. Two hours later they found a bed of soft ferns in another small clearing. “This looks like a good place to spend the night,” Paul said. “Jim, why don’t you and Aaron start gathering firewood? Pam and I will pile up some of these soft ferns for beds.” After the fire was going, Aaron said, “I just remembered something I read in an article. Since this is a rain forest, we can catch our drinking water during the night.” He pulled down some large, tough leaves and twisted them into cones. Then he stood the cones upright among the ferns. By morning each cone would hold a quart or more of fresh water. “Is there any chance we can make it back to the village tomorrow, Dad?” Jim asked hopefully. “I’m afraid not, son. We lost too much time today,” Paul answered. 38

The Mud Bog • 6

Pam looked scared. “We don’t have very much food,” she said worriedly. “Yes, I know that, Buttons. But there are a lot of things growing in the jungle. Many of them are edible. We should be fine for a couple of days.” “We won’t be able to see much when it gets dark,” Jim said. “Remember how close we are to the equator, Jim. It never gets totally dark. And don’t forget—there are a lot more stars in the sky here,” Paul said. “The starlight will help us see.” “That’s because this is the Southern Hemisphere. Right, Dad?” Aaron said. “Right, son,” Paul replied. They snuggled down among the ferns. Jim took the first watch.

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CHAPTER 7

Anaconda It was a noisy night. Besides the constant yowls of the howler monkeys, the Barclays heard many grunts, shrieks, and sharp cries. Parrots chattered away nonstop, and toads and frogs chimed in. Aaron and Paul took their turns on watch. When the first light of dawn filtered through the trees, the night noises gradually died down. Hunting around the clearing for food, the Barclays found some wild pineapples. The fruit tasted sour, but the pulp was juicy and filling. After putting out their fire, the exhausted family headed into the jungle again. Paul now realized how valuable the machete had been. He had lost it in the mud bog. Without a sharp blade to cut through the brush, their progress was much slower and more difficult. And the 40

Anaconda • 7

paste from the white flowers was starting to wear off. Now the insects were coming back in swarms. “Dad, let’s stop and look for some more of those white flowers. These bugs are driving me crazy,” Pam said. “Okay, but don’t wander off too far,” Paul warned her. This time it was Jim who found the plant they were looking for. “Over here!” he yelled. After they applied fresh paste to their skin, the insects disappeared again. Finally, they came to another opening in the jungle. Paul could see the Amazon River off to his left. Down a small embankment, he could see a smaller body of water. The Barclays stood on the bank and studied the situation. “This must be a tributary flowing into the Amazon,” Jim said. “Yes, I think you’re right, Jim—but we still have to cross it. If we try to go around, it might take us miles and miles 41

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deeper into the jungle,” Paul said. “I think we can cross it,” Pam said. “It doesn’t look that wide.” “It’s not the width that I’m worried about,” Paul said with a concerned look. “We don’t know how deep it is—or what creatures might be living in it.” “Oh, right! I forgot about alligators and piranhas!” Pam cried. Paul continued to study the situation. Wading into the brown, murky water was not his idea of a wise move. But he could see no other choice. Going deep into the jungle to get around the tributary was out of the question. Then Aaron spied a fallen tree trunk. “Look, Dad!” he said. “Maybe we can use that to float across.” “Yeah,” Jim agreed. “If we can cut some sticks, we might be able to pole across without even getting wet.” Paul thought about it for a minute. “It might work. It just might work,” he said. “Good thinking, boys.” 42

Anaconda • 7

They cut four poles about eight feet long from some fallen branches. Then they carried the poles down the embankment to the river’s edge. Working together, Paul and the kids pulled and shoved the huge log into the water. They climbed on top. Then they pushed off with their poles and started to float across. They were in the middle of the river when Pam shouted, “Daddy, look!” As everyone turned, their mouths dropped open in horror. Slithering toward their log was the largest snake any of them had ever seen! Its thick, green body was at least 20 feet long. And somehow the giant reptile looked like it was determined to make a meal out of the Barclays! Paul gasped. “Keep poling for the other bank!” he yelled. The snake opened its huge mouth. The gaping hole—almost three feet across—was large enough to swallow up 43

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any one of the Barclay kids whole! Jim jammed his pole deep into the beast’s throat. At the same moment, Paul lifted his pole high and brought it down hard on the snake’s head. The huge, green snake was stunned. It veered away to recover from the blow. Finally, the log reached the far bank. One by one, the Barclays scrambled up the slippery embankment to safety. They stopped to look back down at the water. “Do you know what that was, kids?” Paul asked. “That was an anaconda—the largest snake in the world.” Now Pam’s whole body was shaking. “Daddy, I’m scared,” she said. Paul picked up his daughter and hugged her. “Of course you’re scared, Buttons. We’re all scared! But we’ve handled tough situations before, and we’ll handle this one, too.” Pam looked at her older brother and said, “Are you scared, Jim?” “Sure, sis,” Jim answered. “When that 44

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monster snake was coming at us, I was scared to death!” “You see, Pam,” Paul continued, “being afraid is natural. Being brave is finding the courage to overcome your fear. We need to stay strong and keep doing whatever needs to be done—no matter how frightened we are. That’s what I’m talking about, Buttons.” Her father’s pep talk made Pam feel better. Following the course of the Amazon, they continued to move ahead.

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CHAPTER 8

Piranha Feast The food they’d taken from the boat was all gone now. They realized that any future nourishment would have to come from the jungle. Although they were still collecting plenty of water every night, the food shortage was another story. As they walked along, they found small green bananas on several trees. The fruit was sharp tasting, but it provided needed energy. Later in the day, Pam stopped and pointed upward. “What are those?” she asked. Paul looked up and said excitedly, “Good for you, Pam! Those are palm trees. We almost walked right past them. Does anyone know what’s growing on these trees?” Jim was the first to answer. “If these are palm trees, they must be coconuts.” “They certainly are!” Paul said. 46

Piranha Feast • 8

“They’re growing pretty high up. How do we get them down?” Aaron asked. “The easiest way is for us to shake the branches. Some should fall if we can get the top of the tree moving,” Paul responded. “Come on, everyone—let’s get together and push.” But when they pushed at the tree, it hardly moved. “Keep pushing!” Paul said. Gradually, the tree started to sway back and forth. Soon a few coconuts fell. The Barclays had to dodge the falling coconuts to keep from being hit. When six coconuts had fallen to the ground, they stopped pushing. Peeling off the green cover of one coconut, they found a hard, brown shell underneath. “Coconut meat is rich in protein,” Paul told the family. “The milk inside is also a good source of energy. Jim, you and Aaron break a few coconuts open on a rock. While you’re doing that, I’ll work on drilling a hole in this one so we can pour 47

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out the coconut milk that’s inside.” An hour later they had all eaten their fill of the tasty coconut meat. “Let’s put some extra meat in our packs for later. I’m not sure when we’ll find more palm trees,” Paul said. The Barclays continued to push through the jungle. The rain forest thinned out a bit. In some places they could now see 40 or 50 yards ahead. At one point they saw several peccaries run out of the jungle and head for the river. They stared in amazement as the wild pigs jumped into the river and started to swim across. But then the river began to boil. Something was stirring it up under the surface! Suddenly, two peccaries were dragged under. When they disappeared, there was blood in the brown water. Pam let out a scream when one of the tusked pigs floated back to the surface! Now they could see hundreds of small fish tearing at the animal! 48

Piranha Feast • 8

“Piranha!” Paul cried. “They’ll eat anything that moves.” Eager to get at the peccaries, the piranha were now leaping out of the water. The vicious little fish were less than a foot long—but their rows of sharp teeth went halfway down their bodies! In less than two minutes there was nothing left of either wild pig. In another minute or so, two more peccaries came running out of the bushes. Heading for the river, they ran right past the startled Barclays. “The poor things!” Pam cried out. “Now they’ll be eaten up just like the other two.” They heard loud sounds overhead. Howler monkeys and birds by the hundreds were also heading for the river. Paul looked worried. “Something must be driving the animals out of the jungle,” he said quietly. Jim was the first to notice the ants. He pointed to several thick lines of ants 49

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parading directly across their path. “What’s going on? There sure are a lot of ants here,” he said. “Quick!” Paul yelled. “Get to the river as fast as you can.” As the three children followed their father, Aaron said, “Dad, why are we running from a few little ants?” “Don’t be fooled, son. Ants are the most dangerous creatures in the Brazilian jungle,” Paul said. “They travel in huge armies and eat everything in their path.” When the Barclays reached the river, they saw big patches of brown water fizzing and bubbling. “It’s the piranha!” Jim called out. “They’re attacking everything that goes into the water!” “What are we going to do?” Pam cried out. “We’re trapped! If we go into the water, the piranha will get us. But if we stay here, the ants will get us!”

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CHAPTER 9

The Deadly Army Aaron thought fast. “Why don’t we climb a tree?” he suggested. “The ant army climbs trees. That’s why the birds and monkeys are fleeing,” Paul answered. “We have just one chance to get out of this mess.” “What’s that?” the three frightened kids asked together. “There’s one kind of tree the ants can’t climb,” Paul said. “It’s called the Brazilian Ironwood. The wood is as tough as iron. Saws won’t cut it. Axes bounce off of it. The ants go around ironwood trees because they can’t get their claws into the bark. We have to find an ironwood tree now. Spread out, kids, and look for a tree that has a dark, black trunk.” The number of ants doubled as the Barclays searched for an ironwood tree. In 51

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fact, so many more ants were pouring into the area that the Barclays could hardly see the ground. Everywhere they walked, they had to step on ants. Soon the insects started to climb onto their shoes and run up their legs. The Barclays could now feel their sharp stinging bites. It was Paul who finally found an ironwood tree. When he called out, “Over here!” everyone came running. The lowest branch was about 12 feet off the ground. On his second try, Jim managed to throw the rope over the branch. Then Paul tied one end of the rope around the tree trunk. Jim climbed up onto the branch. Then Paul tied a loop under Pam’s arms, and Jim pulled her up to safety. Aaron came next. By the time Paul got off the ground, his legs were thickly covered with black ants. Once he was safely on the branch, he brushed them off. But his legs were already covered with painful bites. 52

The Deadly Army • 9

Paul realized what a close call this had been. Another five minutes on the ground and his whole family would have been covered with the dangerous creatures! They watched in amazement as millions of ants passed below them. To fall now would mean certain death—so Paul tied everyone into the tree. The Barclays sat for hours, watching the army of ants pass below the tree. When they reached the river, the ants turned and headed south. Finally, there were fewer and fewer ants. Large patches of ground began to reappear. When Paul was sure the ant army had passed them by, he slid down the rope to the ground. One by one the children came after him. Paul’s legs ached from all the bites. He wished that he had some salve or ointment to stop the pain and itching. But they had nothing. For the first time since the Barclays had left the Amazon Queen, the jungle was 53

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quiet. Paul explained that the ants had driven off all the other animals. “They’ll come back,” he said, “but it will take a day or two.” Weary and hungry, the Barclays found a soft, ferny spot away from the river. Within a few minutes, they settled down and fell deeply asleep.

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CHAPTER 10

A Deserted Village By morning, the bites on Paul’s legs felt a little better. “With any luck we might reach the village today,” he said. That thought encouraged the tired kids as they started out again. The jungle’s new silence was a stark change from the noise of previous days. Somehow it seemed eerie not to hear the animals hooting and chattering. At midday Jim looked up the Amazon and spotted a wooden dock sticking out into the river. “Dad!” he cried. “I can see a dock up ahead. It looks like we’ve finally reached the village.” Sure enough, this was the dock where they had left the Costalinos a few days earlier. Aaron and Pam cheered when they came to a large clearing. The village! 55

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But something was wrong. Where were the people? “Nobody’s here,” Aaron said. Paul guessed what had happened. “The villagers must have left to escape the invading ants,” he said. “But they’ll be back now that the ants are gone. We’ll just stay here, get some rest, and wait.” The Barclays were disappointed that the village was abandoned—but at least they were out of the jungle. Here, there were huts where they could sleep, and they could at last find some food. “Kids,” Paul said, “there’s got to be a radio somewhere. Let’s spread out and look around until we find one.” About 10 minutes later, Aaron found a radio in one of the huts by the riverbank. Paul turned on the radio and made a call to the Presidente Vargas Airport. “Paul Barclay, calling Presidente Vargas. Come in, please,” he said. After several tries, the radio spit out 56

A Deserted Village • 10

some static and a voice responded. “Señor Barclay, where are you? Are you and your family all right? We’ve been searching for you!” “We’re fine. We’re at a little village just downriver,” Paul answered. “The whole place is deserted. I think they ran from the ants. We’re okay—but hungry! We’re anxious to get to Boa Vista.” “I understand, señor,” the man on the radio said. “And, yes, you’re right. The villagers came here to safety when the army ants attacked. They’ll return by riverboat tomorrow morning. But how did you escape the ants, Señor Barclay?” “We climbed up into an ironwood tree,” Paul answered. “Very smart, Señor Barclay.” “One more thing,” Paul said. “Can you get word to my construction crew at the dam? Ask them to send a helicopter to pick us up.” “Yes, Señor. I will call you back,” the man said. 57

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Paul put down the radio transmitter and breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, kids, it looks like the worst of this trip is over,” he said. “With any luck, a helicopter could have us out of here in a few hours.” Pam spoke up. “Compared to the jungle, this little village is like a hotel. Even if we have to wait until tomorrow for the riverboat, it won’t be so bad.” “One thing’s for sure,” Aaron said. “If we take the boat, I’m going to make sure the captain fills it up with gas!” Paul laughed. “You’ve got that right, son. Once was quite enough!” Then the radio came to life again. “Señor Barclay, come in, please.” “Yes, this is Paul Barclay. Go ahead.” “A helicopter from the dam is on its way. It should be there to pick you up within the hour.” “Thanks a lot for your help,” Paul answered. “I’ll see you when I get back to Presidente Vargas.” 58

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Paul and his family sat down on a bench to await the helicopter. As they waited to be rescued, Paul looked at his children’s faces. “Okay— what have you guys learned from all of this?” he asked. Jim was the first to answer. “Well, Dad, I’ve learned something important. Even when things look the darkest, you can survive if you don’t give up.” Aaron was next. “Yeah, me, too. What I’ve learned is that as long as you’re alive, you have a chance.” “I’ve learned that I hate the jungle!” Pam said. “I want to live a quiet, peaceful life in the city.” Paul laughed. “You know, Buttons, someday you’ll look back on this trip as a great memory.” “Maybe, Dad—if you say so. But I wouldn’t count on it.”

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CHAPTER 11

Safe at Last The helicopter hovered overhead before the pilot could find a place to set down. Paul ran up to the pilot as he deplaned. It was Ben Warren, a man he’d gotten to know pretty well. “Thank heaven you’re all right, Paul,” Ben said when he saw him. “Am I relieved to see you folks safe and sound!” “Glad to see you, too, Ben,” Paul answered. “We’ve had quite an adventure trekking through the jungle.” “I’ll bet you have,” Ben replied. “I can’t wait to hear all about it. When parts of the Amazon Queen were found below the falls, we were all afraid that you’d drowned.” “We were lucky, Ben. But I can’t say the same for the captain who was piloting the boat,” Paul said. “Did he drown?” Ben asked. 60

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“We were heading downriver when he fell over the side. I don’t know if he was dead before the alligators got to him or not,” Paul said. “Oh, that’s awful!” Ben replied. “Yeah, it wasn’t a pretty sight. Now, come on over here, Ben, and meet my family,” Paul added. After introducing his children, Paul said, “Ben, we all need a hot shower and a good meal. Are you ready to get going?” “I sure am,” Ben answered. “Hop on board. I’ll have you at the dam site in about an hour. And there’s a surprise waiting for you! Mrs. Barclay flew in yesterday. She’s been worried sick.” Aaron spoke up. “Mom’s not going to believe what happened to us, is she, Dad?” Paul shook his head and smiled. “I don’t know, son. Unfortunately, I think she will,” he said. True to his word, Ben landed the helicopter in Boa Vista just an hour and 10 minutes later. 61

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As they got out of the helicopter, Ann Barclay ran up to her family and hugged them. Tears were streaming down her cheeks—but they were tears of happiness at finding her family safe. Pam was eager to tell her mother all about their adventure in the jungle. But Ann stopped her. “Let’s get you cleaned up and fed first,” she said as she kissed Pam’s cheek. Walking away from the helicopter pad, Ann turned to Paul and said, ”What’s your next trip with the children— climbing Mount Everest?” Paul sighed. He knew there was no right answer.

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COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS Who and Where? 1. The Amazon River is located primarily in what country? 2. In what city was Paul helping to build a dam? 3. What was the riverboat captain’s name? 4. Who first noticed some animals that “looked like logs”? 5. Who rammed the Amazon Queen into the riverbank? 6. Who jammed a pole into the anaconda’s mouth? 7. What place were the Barclays trying to reach by walking through the jungle? 8. Who was waiting in Boa Vista to meet Paul and the kids?

Remembering Details 1. What’s the national language of Brazil? 2. Why are the world’s rain forests disappearing? 63

3. Why was Paul worried about Captain Ronaldo? 4. What eventually happened to Captain Ronaldo? 5. Why wouldn’t the Amazon Queen’s engine restart? 6. What did the Barclays use to ward off pesky insects? 7. What was driving the animals out of the jungle?

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