A week had passed away. We had crossed the stream several times to
examine the southern bank of the river, and every inch of the northern
bank had been explored. Sometimes we met Maono and his wife to compare
notes, and then we again separated to continue our explorations. We
were now once more proceeding up the Napo, with high clay banks
surmounted by lofty forest trees above our heads. "I see some people
moving on the shore there. O Harry! can it be them?" exclaimed Arthur.
Several persons appeared coming through an opening in the forest, at a
spot where the ground sloped down to the water. We could, however, see
no habitation.
"It is possible," I answered. We passed this part of the river in the
dark, and might thus have missed them.
Having been exploring the western bank, we were crossing the river at
that moment. As we paddled on, my heart beat with excitement. If it
should be them after all! The people stopped, and seemed to be
observing us. We paddled on with all our might, and they came down
closer to the water. Suddenly Duppo lifted up his paddle and exclaimed,
"Majeronas!" We looked and looked again, still hoping that Duppo might
have been mistaken; but his eyes were keener than ours. Approaching a
little nearer, we were convinced that he was right. To go closer to the
shore, therefore, would be useless and dangerous. We accordingly
paddled back to the side we had just left, where we once more continued
our upward course.
We had parted two days before this from Maono and Illora, who were to
explore part of the bank we had left unvisited, and to meet us again at
the island where we had been so nearly wrecked at the mouth of the
igarape. We had almost reached the spot where we had expected to find
my father and the rest of our family. The shores of the river were
occasionally visited, as we had learned by experience, by the Majeronas,
though not usually inhabited by them. It was therefore necessary to use
great caution when going on shore. We landed, however, whenever we saw
a spot where we thought it possible our friends might have touched on
their voyage, in the hope that they might there have left some signal or
note for us. The banks were here very different from those lower down.
In many places they were composed of sand or clay cliffs of considerable
height, often completely overhanging the river, as if the water had
washed away their bases--indeed, such was undoubtedly the case.
Frequently the trees grew to the very edge of these cliffs, their
branches forming a thick shade over the stream. To avoid the hot sun we
were tempted to keep our canoe close under them, as it was very pleasant
to be able to paddle on in the comparatively cool air. Thus we
proceeded, till we arrived at the spot where we had been so bitterly
disappointed at not finding my family. No one was to be seen, but we
landed, that we might again examine it more carefully. The ground on
which the hut had stood still remained undisturbed, though vegetation
had almost obliterated all the traces of fire. After hunting about in
vain for some time, we took our way back to the canoe. We had nearly
reached the water's edge, when Arthur exclaimed that he saw something
white hanging to the lower branch of a tree, amid the thick undergrowth
which grew around. We had some difficulty in cutting our way up to it.
We then saw a handkerchief tied up in the shape of a ball.
"Why, it is only full of dried leaves!" exclaimed Arthur, as we opened
it.
"Stay a moment," I answered. "I think there is something within them
though."
Unrolling the leaves, I found a small piece of paper, torn apparently
from a pocket-book. On it were written a few lines. They were: "Dear
Brothers,--I trust you will see this. Enemies are approaching, and our
father has resolved to quit this spot and proceed down the river. We
hope to send a messenger up to warn you not to land here, but I leave
this in case you should miss him, and do so. Where we shall stop, I
cannot say; but our father wishes, for our mother's sake and mine, and
Aunt Martha's, not again to settle till we reach a part of the river
inhabited by friendly natives. That will, I fear, not be till we get
some way down the Amazon. I am warned to finish and do this up. The
natives are seen in the distance coming towards us."
This note, the first assurance we had received that our family had
escaped, greatly raised our spirits. We had now only to make the best
of our way back to John and Ellen with the satisfactory intelligence.
We accordingly hurried back to the canoe, and began our downward voyage.
We had gone some distance when we saw a small opening in the river,
where, on the shore, two or three canoes were hauled up. They might
belong to friendly natives, from whom we might obtain some fish or other
fresh provisions, of which we were somewhat in want. We were about to
paddle in, when we caught sight of several fierce-looking men with bows
in their hands, rushing down towards the bank. Their appearance and
gestures were so hostile that we immediately turned the head of our
canoe down the stream again, and paddled away as fast as we could. We
had not, however, got far, when, looking back, we saw that they had
entered one of the larger canoes, and were shoring off, apparently to
pursue us. We did our best to make way, in the hope of keeping ahead of
them. I should have said the weather at this time had been somewhat
changeable. Clouds had been gathering in the sky, and there was every
sign of a storm. As I have already described two we encountered, I need
not enter into the particulars of the one which now broke over us.
Under other circumstances we should have been glad to land to escape its
fury, but as it was, we were compelled to paddle on as fast as we could
go. On looking back, we saw that the Indians were actually pursuing us.
"Never fear," cried Arthur. "We shall be able to keep ahead of them!"
The lightning flashed vividly, the rain came down in torrents, but
through the thick wall of water we could still see our enemies coming
rapidly after us. Although the current, had we stood out into the
middle of the stream, might have carried us faster, the shortest route
was by keeping near the bank. The Indians followed the same course.
True rushed to the stern, and stood up barking defiance at them, as he
saw them drawing nearer. I dreaded lest they should begin to shoot with
their poisoned arrows. Should they get near enough for those fearful
weapons to reach us, our fate would be sealed. Only for an instant
could we afford time to glance over our shoulders at our foes. Nearer
and nearer they drew. Duppo courageously kept his post, steering the
canoe, and paddling with all his might. Every moment I expected to see
them start up and let fly a shower of arrows at us. I might, of course,
have fired at them; but this would have delayed us, and probably not
have stopped them. Our only hope of escape therefore depended upon our
being able to distance them. Yet they were evidently coming up with us.
We strained every nerve; but, try as we might, we could not drive our
little canoe faster than we were going.
My heart sank within me when, looking back once more, I saw how near
they were. In a few minutes more we might expect to have a shower of
arrows whizzing by us, and then we knew too well that, though we might
receive comparatively slight wounds, the deadly poison in them would
soon have effect. This did not make us slacken our exertions, though
scarcely any hope of escape remained. Still we knew that something
unforeseen might intervene for our preservation. I do hold, and always
have held, that it is the duty of a man to struggle to the last. "Never
say die!" is a capital motto in a good cause.
The rain poured down in torrents, the lightning flashed, the thunder
roared, and gusts of wind swept down the river. We were, however,
greatly protected by the bank above us. The storm blew more furiously.
We could see overhead branches torn from the trees and carried into the
stream. Still the Indians, with unaccountable pertinacity, followed us.
We scarcely now dared look behind us, as all our energies were required
to keep ahead; yet once more I turned round. Several of our pursuers
were standing up and drawing their bows. The arrows flew by us. "Oh, I
am hit!" cried Arthur. "But I wish I had not said that. Paddle on!
paddle on! I may still have strength to go on for some time." Now,
indeed, I felt ready to give way to despair; still, encouraged by
Arthur, I persevered. For a moment only he ceased paddling. It was to
pull the arrow from the wound in his shoulder; then again he worked away
as if nothing had occurred. The next flight of arrows, I knew, might be
fatal to all of us. I could not resist glancing round. Once more the
Indians were drawing their bows; but at that instant a fearful rumbling
noise was heard, followed by a terrific crashing sound. The trees above
our heads bent forward. "Paddle out into the middle of the stream!"
cried Arthur. Duppo seemed to have understood him, and turned the
canoe's head away from the shore. The whole cliff above us was giving
way. Down it came, crash succeeding crash, the water lashed into foam.
The spot where the canoe of our savage pursuers had last been seen was
now one mass of falling cliff and tangled forest. Trees were ahead of
us, trees on every side. The next instant I found myself clinging to
the branch of a tree. True had leaped up to my ride. Duppo was close
to me grasping the tree with one hand, while he held my gun above his
head in the other. I took it from him and placed it in a cleft of the
trunk. Without my aid he quickly climbed up out of the water. The
canoe had disappeared, and where was Arthur? The masses of foam, the
thick, down-pouring rain, the leaves and dust whirled by the wind round
us, concealed everything from our sight.
"Arthur!--Arthur!--where are you?" I cried out. There was no answer.
Again I shouted at the top of my voice, "Arthur!--Arthur!" The tree,
detached from the bank, now floated down the stream. I could only hope
that it would not turn over in the eddying waters. Still the loud
crashing sounds of the falling cliff continued, as each huge mass came
sliding down into the river. The current, increased in rapidity by the
rain, which had probably been falling much heavier higher up the stream,
bore us onward. Oh, what would I have given to know that my friend had
escaped! I could scarcely feel as thankful as I ought to have done for
my own preservation, when I thought that he had been lost.
The whole river seemed filled with uprooted trees; in some places bound
together by the sipos, they formed vast masses--complete islands. On
several we could see creatures moving about. Here and there several
terrified monkeys, which had taken shelter from the storm in a hollow
trunk, were now running about, looking out in vain for some means of
reaching the shore. Ahead of us we distinguished some large animal on a
floating mass, but whether jaguar, puma, or tapir, at that distance I
could not make out. No trace of the Indians or their canoe could we
discover. It was evident that they had been entirely overwhelmed;
indeed, as far as we could judge, the landslip had commenced close to
the spot where we had last seen them, and they could not have had the
warning which we received before the cliff was upon them. Not for a
moment, however, notwithstanding all the terrifying circumstances
surrounding me, were my thoughts taken off Arthur. Wounded as he had
been by the poisoned dart, I feared that, even had he not been struck by
the bough of a falling tree, he would have sunk through weakness
produced by the poison. It made me very sad. Duppo was trying to
comfort me, but what he said I could not understand. Our own position
was indeed dangerous in the extreme. Any moment the tree might roll
over, as we saw others doing round us: we might be unable to regain a
position on the upper part. Should we escape that danger, and be driven
on the bank inhabited by the hostile Majeronas, they would very probably
put us to death. I had, however, providentially my ammunition-belt
round my waist, and my gun had been preserved; I might, therefore, fight
for life, and if we escaped, kill some animals for our support. Should
we not reach the land, and once enter the main river, we might be
carried down for hundreds of miles, day after day, and, unable to
procure any food, be starved to death. Ellen and John would be very
anxious at our non-appearance. These and many similar thoughts crossed
my mind. I fancied that had Arthur been with me I should have felt very
differently, but his loss made my spirits sink, and I could hardly keep
up the courage which I had always wished to maintain under difficulties.
Duppo's calmness put me to shame. True looked up in my face, and
endeavoured to comfort me by licking my hand, and showing other marks of
affection. Poor fellow! if we were likely to starve, so was he; but
then he did not know that, and was better able to endure hunger than
either Duppo or me.
The rain continued pouring down, hiding all objects, except in the
immediate vicinity, from our view. I judged, however, that the falling
cliff had sent us some distance from the shore into the more rapid part
of the current. Providentially it was so, for we could still see the
indistinct forms of the trees come sliding down, while the constant loud
crashes told us that the destruction of the banks had not yet ceased.
Thus we floated on till darkness came down upon us, adding to the horror
of our position. The rain had by that time stopped. The thunder no
longer roared, and the lightning ceased flashing. The storm was over,
but I feared, from the time of the year, that we might soon be visited
by another. We had climbed up into a broad part of the trunk, where,
among the projecting branches, we could sit or lie down securely without
danger of falling off. My chief fear arose from what I have already
mentioned,--the possibility of the tree turning over. This made me
unwilling either to secure myself to the branches, or indeed even to
venture to go to sleep.
Hour after hour slowly passed by. Had Arthur been saved, I could have
kept up my spirits; but every now and then, when the recollection of his
loss came across me, I could not help bursting into tears. Poor, dear
fellow! I had scarcely thought how much I had cared for him. Duppo
spoke but little; indeed, finding himself tolerably secure, he probably
thought little of the future. He expected, I dare say, to get on shore
somewhere or other, and it mattered little to him where that was. True
coiled himself up by my side, continuing his efforts to comfort me. In
spite of my unwillingness to go to sleep, I found myself frequently
dropping off; and at last, in spite of my dread of what might occur, my
eyes remained closed, and my senses wandered away into the land of
dreams. Duppo also went to sleep, and, I suspect, so did True.
I was awoke by the rays of the sun striking my eyes; when, opening them,
I looked about me, wondering where I was. Very soon I recollected all
that had occurred. Then came the sad recollection that Arthur had been
lost. Our tree appeared to be in the position in which it had been when
we went to sleep. Numerous other trees and masses of wood, some of
considerable size, floated around us on either hand. The banks were
further off than I had expected to find them. True, pressing his head
against me, looked up affectionately in my face, as much as to ask,
"What are we to do next, master?" It was a question I was puzzled to
answer. I had to call loudly to Duppo to arouse him. After looking
about for some time, I was convinced that the tree had been drifted into
the main stream. On and on it floated. I began to feel very hungry; as
did my companions. We were better off than we should have been at sea
on a raft, because we could, by scrambling down the branches, quench our
thirst. I brought some water up in my cap for True, as I was afraid of
letting him go down, lest he should be washed off. I was holding it for
him to drink, when Duppo pointed, with an expression of terror in his
countenance, to the upper end of the tree, and there I saw, working its
way towards us along the branches, a huge serpent, which had probably
remained concealed in some hollow, or among the forked boughs, during
the night. A second glance convinced me that it was a boa. To escape
from it was impossible. If we should attempt to swim to the other trees
it might follow us, or we might be snapped up by alligators on our way.
I might kill it, but if I missed, it would certainly seize one of us.
It stopped, and seemed to be watching us. Its eye was fixed on True,
who showed none of his usual bravery. Instinct probably told him the
power of his antagonist. Instead of rushing forward as he would
probably have done even had a jaguar appeared, he kept crouching down by
my side. Unacquainted with the habits of the boa, I could not tell
whether it might not spring upon us. I knelt down on the tree and
lifted my rifle; I did not, however, wish to fire till it was near
enough to receive the full charge in its body. Again it advanced along
the boughs. It was within five yards of us. I fired, aiming at its
head. As the smoke cleared away, I saw the huge body twisting and
turning violently, the tail circling the branch on which it was
crawling. Duppo uttered a shout of triumph, and, rushing forward with a
paddle which he had saved from the canoe, dealt the already mangled head
numberless blows with all his might. The creature's struggles were at
length over.
Pointing to the boa, Duppo now made signs that we should not be in want
of food; but I felt that I must be more hungry than I then was, before I
could be tempted to eat a piece of the hideous monster. When I told him
so, he smiled, enough to say, "Wait a little till you have seen it
roasted." I had my axe in my belt. He asked me for it, and taking it
in his hand cut away a number of chips from the drier part of the tree,
and also some of the smaller branches. Having piled them up on a broad
part of the trunk near the water, he came back to ask me for a light. I
told him that if I had tinder I could get it with the help of the pan of
my gun. Away he went, scrambling along the branches, and in a short
time returned with a bird's nest, which he held up in triumph. It was
perfectly dry, and I saw would burn easily. In another minute he had a
fire blazing away. I was afraid that the tree itself might ignite.
Duppo pointed to the water to show that we might easily put it out if it
burned too rapidly. He next cut off some slices from the body of the
boa, and stuck them on skewers in the Indian fashion over the fire.
Though I had before fancied that I could not touch it, no sooner had I
smelt the roasting flesh than my appetite returned. When it was done,
Duppo ate a piece, and made signs that it was very good. I, at length,
could resist no longer; and though it was rather coarse and tough, I was
glad enough to get something to stop the pangs of hunger. True ate up
the portion we gave him without hesitation. Duppo then cut several
slices, which, instead of roasting, he hung up on sticks over the fire
to dry, throwing the remainder into the water.
He tried his best to amuse me by an account of a combat his father once
witnessed in the depths of the forest between two huge boas, probably of
different species. One lay coiled on the ground, the other had taken
post on the branch of a tree. It ended by the former seizing the head
of its opponent with its wide open jaws, sucking in a part of its huge
body, gradually unwinding it from the tree. It had attempted, however,
a dangerous operation. Suddenly down came the tail, throwing its coils
round the victor, and the two monsters lay twisting and writhing in the
most terrific manner, till both were dead. I have given the account as
well as I could make it out, but of course I could not understand it
very clearly.
The clouds had cleared away completely, and the sun's rays struck down
with even more than their usual heat. Still, from the storms we had had
of late, I suspected that the rainy season was about to begin. I could
only hope, therefore, that we might reach the shore before the waters
descended with their full force. Slowly we floated down with the
current. On either side of us were several masses of trees, and single
trees, such as I have before described. The rate at which we moved
differed considerably from many of them. Now we drifted towards one;
now we seemed to be carried away again from it. This, I concluded, was
owing partly to the different sizes of the floating masses, and to the
depth they were sunk in the water; and partly to the irregularity of the
current. The wind also affected them, those highest out of the water of
course feeling it most.