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there near the fire, the skin of my feet drying and beginning to heal. I tried to get the fire to smoke, reasoning that Kevin wouldn't see a fire in daylight, but he might notice the smoke, even if he was up above me on a higher ledge.

I was dizzy. I saw black circles everywhere and stretched my feet out close to the flame. My brow was feverish. Something came over me. Perhaps I fainted. I lost control of my bowels and filthied my underwear. I cursed angrily. After calming down, I removed my pants and underwear and crawled naked toward a jet of water streaming off the mountainside. I hung my underwear over a nub of the cliff so that the stream would flow over them. I went back to the fire and covered myself up with the mosquito netting, for the mosquitoes took advantage of every inch of bare flesh.

Bands of monkeys were gathering in the trees around me. There were two large groups, one of little black marimono monkeys, the other of larger brown howler monkeys, the kind that roar like tigers. At first I feared they had gotten together to get even with me for the monkeys we had killed earlier in our journey. Then I grew worried that they would make off with my precious supplies, so I gathered all of my belongings around me near the fire. I hobbled to the crag to retrieve my underwear, which the water had already cleansed.

The monkeys watched me curiously. Eventually they overcame their timidity and came within a few yards of me. They didn't seem to be up to