Summary

After a second expedition into the jungle, Fawcett pined for civilization. He wrote in his journal, “I wanted to forget atrocities, to put slavery, murder and horrible disease behind me, and to look again at respectable old ladies whose ideas of vice ended with the indiscretions of so-and-so's housemaid” (115). Fawcett came back to find Jack grown and his youngest son Brian looking at him like a stranger. His family was thrilled to be reunited with him, but before long, Fawcett grew restless. He soon had a complete reversal of his initial homesickness and began to long for the Amazon. He set out once again only a few months later. He explored for the better part of next decade, neglecting his family much of the time.

Fawcett's family was quite poor while he was away. Nina often tried to get her husband...