Ill-Fated Expedition to the Madeira: A first-hand account of surveying, river travel, and frontier life in the Brazilian Amazon

A riveting, first‑hand look at surveying and river travel in the Brazilian Amazon. This account follows engineers, explorers, and workers as they map a railway route along the Madeira and Mamoré rivers, facing malaria, treacherous terrain, and the pull of frontier life. This volume pairs practical detail with vivid scenes of camp life, indigenous communities, and the logistics of 19th‑century engineering. It offers a clear view of the challenges and discoveries that shaped early rainforest travel and railroad surveys. First‑hand descriptions of river navigation, camp life, and the daily work of survey crewsInsights into malarial fever, climate, and the health challenges faced by explorersProfiles of Bolivian seringueiros and the frontier dynamics along the Madeira detail on early railway surveying, logistics, and the building of engines and trains in remote jungles Ideal for readers of travel accounts, frontier history, and engineering narratives who want a vivid, on‑the‑ground view of exploration in South America. Read more