The Travels of Auguste Rabaut

Book excerpt: Set in the Amazonian jungles of South America during the '30s and '40s, Auguste Rabaut, known for his discovery of the Neon Tetra fish, takes us on adventures and misadventures alike of his travels throughout the Amazon River region. Being a fine gemstone cutter, he primarily embarked on the hunt for raw materials; emeralds and diamonds. He found, instead, an adventure full of potential for prosperous gains. Through his trips, he grew to understand the native indigenous tribes he encountered, their customs, rituals and superstitions. He compels us to understand and appreciate the difficulties of traveling, hunting and surviving in this vastly remote and isolated part of the world. Auguste Rabaut was courageous enough to take a blind leap into the forbidden, traveling where no European had ventured before, through unknown, impeded and unmapped territories that was not meant for the fainthearted. He explores both the motivations and emotions of living and thriving deep within the Amazonian jungle.