of natives who live in tree-houses. These natives use spears and
 
poisoned arrows as weapons, but they seemed friendly to us, and at
 
one time we used them as cargadores.
 
     One of the worst parts of our journey led through dense
 
jungle in which we waded through water as deep as our armpits.
 
This jungle was infested with leeches which traveled with a jack-
 
knife motion through the water, and which attached themselves to
 
our flesh by the score, despite our efforts to keep them off. We
 
wore our socks outside our trousers, and then used improvised
 
leggings, but somehow the leeches got through. Once attached to
 
the skin, they would suck out blood and puff themselves out like
 
a balloon. The only way to remove them was to apply fire or
 
tobacco.
 
     Although their bite was not painful, the puncture they
 
made in the skin was an invitation to infection. To combat the
 
possibility of this infection I was forced to use my three pina
 
 cloth handkerchiefs as bandages and swabs. (I am not sure that
 
my two little daughters have forgiven me for this utilitarian
 
lapse, although they were overjoyed when they learned that I was
 
alive and safe.)
 
     On two occasions when we had almost reached our objective
 
we were close to recapture by the Japanese. Once we were aboard a
 
fishing launch which could do about four knots top, when dawn 
 
broke to reveal that we were just astern two Japanese coastal patrol
 
vessels, armed with three-inch guns. It was too late to turn back,
 
and any attempt to outrun the Japs would have been sheer folly.
 
 
                                       - 87 -