Within the past decade, a scientific expedition into the upper basin, bearing the most modern equipment known to civilized man, was forced by fierce savages and fiercer sicknesses, to flee the jungle. Yet Orellana, without medicines, maps, or scientific data, without even knowing where he was, transiently mastered the river four hundred years ago, an incredible achievement in the light of modern knowledge."
In the last decade, a scientific expedition in the upper basin, utilizing the most advanced technology available to civilized societies, was forced by fierce tribes and even more severe illnesses to retreat from the jungle. Nevertheless, Orellana, without medicines, maps, or scientific data, and unaware of his location, managed to control the river four centuries ago, an extraordinary accomplishment considering modern knowledge.