article_snippet.sent: But for the third, John Hemming, the trip was the beginning of a lifelong fascination with the region, and a distinguished career writing about it.
article_snippet.sent: What followed was a story - or three stories - of quietly stirring heroism.
article_snippet.sent: In general, the Indians proved remarkably hospitable, as well as astonishingly skilful boatmen.
article_snippet.sent: As an Amazon explorer himself, Hemming describes the endless hardships almost matter-of-factly, which only makes it clearer how hair-raising they were.
article_snippet.sent: With bleeding feet and an empty stomach, I found the journey sufficiently toilsome,' wrote Spruce of one trip. '
article_snippet.sent: As Hemming emphasises, it's almost miraculous that so much of what the three collected made it back in such good condition.
article_snippet.sent: Hemming tells the story of this extraordinary trio without hype, wisely content to let the facts and Hemming own reflections speak largely for Hemming.
article_snippet.sent: Hemming does, however, add the occasional telling update: we learn that some of the tribes that helped the three men are sadly now extinct.
article_snippet.sent: Having sailed through a series of thunderstorms, Spruce gets separated from Hemming companions on a jungle trek and fears Hemming's going to die.