CONCLUSION.

Next morning Mr Mallet gave us the satisfactory intelligence that

Arthur was sufficiently well to bear moving. We therefore at once

proceeded on our voyage. Each day after that he improved; and at length

we came in sight of the island where we had left our family. We had

some, difficulty in finding our way up the narrow channel which led to

their camp. As we approached the spot, we saw a good-sized vessel on

the stocks, surrounded by a number of persons. One of them, discovering

us as we turned the point, shouted to his companions, when, suddenly

leaving their work, they advanced towards us with guns in their hands in

a threatening attitude. We shouted out to them, when they, perceiving

that we were friends, came forward to meet us. Our father was among the

first we saw. After he had received us affectionately, and warmly

greeted Houlston and Tony, we told him that Mr Mallet had come with us.

No sooner did my father see him, than, taking his hand, he exclaimed,

"What, my old friend and school-fellow! I little expected to find you

out here! Where have you come from?"

"From the wilderness, where I have spent long years of banishment, and

from whence my young son succeeded in thus too far dragging me forth. I

could not make him lead the life I have so long lived, and I cannot bear

the thought of parting from him."

"And what could make you wish to think of doing anything of the sort?"

exclaimed my father. "You surprised all your friends by leaving

England--so my brother long since wrote me word--and no one has been

able to account for it."

"Not account for it!" exclaimed Mr Mallet. "Surely my friends would

not have wished me to remain, dishonoured or disgraced, or doomed to a

felon's death?"

He looked round as he spoke, and seeing that I was nearer than he had

supposed, led my father to a distance. Meantime our mother, Fanny, and

Ellen, had come down.

I need not describe our meeting, or the concern Ellen exhibited at

hearing of Arthur's accident, and saw his still, pale face as we lifted

him out of the canoe. He was, however, able to walk with our

assistance. We found the whole party very anxious, as information had

reached them that the natives had discovered their retreat and intended

attacking them. They had therefore been hurrying on the large montaria

with all speed, in hopes of getting away before the arrival of the

enemy.

In a short time our father and Mr Mallet arrived. A wonderful change

had taken place in the countenance of the latter. He now looked bright

and cheerful, and a smile played over his features such as I had never

before seen them wear. After being introduced to my mother and sisters,

and Senhor Pimento's family, he hurried up to Arthur, and as he threw

his arms round his neck tears burst from his eyes, but they were

evidently tears of joy.

"But we must not lose time," said my father, pointing to the vessel, at

which Domingos and Antonio and the other men were still busily working.

We soon had occupation given us--ample to employ our minds as well as

our hands. Arthur was taken good care of by my mother and sisters, and

I was glad to see him play with Nimble and Toby, who at once knew him.

We worked away till dark. The fires were lighted, and by their bright

blaze we were still able to continue our labours. Thus we hoped in a

couple of days to have our craft ready for launching. It was decked

over astern and forward, so as to afford a cabin to the ladies and

shelter for our stores, which required protection from the weather. We

had large mat-sails and long oars, so that she was well fitted, we

hoped, to encounter the heavy seas we were likely to meet with towards

the mouth of the mighty river. John suggested that we should erect a

stockade near the vessel, behind which we might defend ourselves, and

prevent her from being burned, should the rebels make the threatened

attack. This we all set to work to do; and as we had an abundance of

materials at hand, a fort was soon erected, of sufficient strength, if

defended by firearms, to repel any attack the natives were likely to

make against it.

"I hope the fellows will come on!" exclaimed Tony, who, with Houlston,

was among the most active in the work. "I should like to be engaged in

a skirmish. We have had but a tame life of it. I thought we might have

seen some of the fun going forward at Santarem; but the whites had all

escaped out of the place before we passed by, and the red-skins had

possession of it."

"I rather think we were fortunate in escaping those same red-skins!"

exclaimed Houlston. "They murdered all the whites they could find, and

they would probably have treated us in the same way if we had fallen in

with them. If those fellows had attacked us, depend upon it we should

have had to fight hard for our lives."

"Perhaps, my friend, we can find some better means of keeping the enemy

at bay than those you are taking," observed the recluse. "However,

follow your own plan. I trust, for the sake of humanity that it may be

labour lost."

I did not hear John's reply, but he continued the work. Scouts were

sent out at night to watch the entrance of the channel, lest the rebels

might attempt to steal upon us during the hours of darkness; while we

all slept with our arms ready for instant use.

I was awakened by hearing a shot fired. Another followed. "The rebels

are coming!" I heard my father shouting out. "To your posts, my

friends!"

In less than a minute our whole party had assembled, and with my father

at our head, we advanced in the direction whence the shots had

proceeded. Before we had gone many paces, our two scouts came running

up with the announcement that several canoes were approaching the mouth

of the igarape. Daylight was just then breaking, though it had not

penetrated into the forest. The two Indians were again sent back to

watch the further movements of the rebels. We meantime held a council

of war, and having conveyed all our stores and provisions within the

stockade, retired to it, there to await the enemy. In a short time the

scouts came back, reporting that the Indians had landed, and were

advancing through the forest.

"Let me now try, my friends, what I can do with these people," said the

recluse, standing up in our midst. "I resided among them for some time.

They know me, and I trust will be more ready to listen to my arguments

than to those with which you are prepared to receive them."

"Pray do as you judge best," said my father.

Senhor Pimento appeared to have little confidence in his success, and

addressing his people, entreated them to fight bravely, as the rebels

would certainly give them no quarter.

The recluse, without further delay, taking not even a stick in his hand,

went forth from the fort, and was soon lost to sight among the shades of

the forest. Our Portuguese friends were in a great state of agitation;

but my sisters, especially Ellen, remained perfectly calm. I

complimented her on her courage. "Oh, I am sure Arthur's father will

accomplish what he undertakes," she answered. "I have therefore no fear

of an attack."

We, however, could not help looking anxiously for the return of the

recluse. The time went slowly by. "I am afraid the wretches will shoot

him before he has time to speak to them," observed Senhor Pimento.

Pedro, who was of a generous, warm-hearted disposition, proposed that

some of us should sally out, and try and overtake him before he reached

the enemy.

This was overruled by my father. "Our friend does not act without

judgment," he observed. "He knows the character of the people better

perhaps than we do. Hark! what is that?" The sound of many voices

shouting came faintly through the forest, as from a distance.

"Hurrah! they are coming on to attack us!" cried Tony; "we will give

them a warm reception."

"I hope rather that those sounds betoken that the Indians have

recognised our friend," observed my father.

Still we waited, many of our party looking out, as if they expected to

see the rebels approaching in battle array. At length a single figure

appeared emerging from the forest. It was the recluse. He hurried

forward towards us, and on entering the fort, took my father, John, and

I aside.

"I have not been so successful as I should wish," he said. "They are

perfectly ready to let the English, with whom they have no cause of

quarrel, go free, but they insist that the Portuguese gentleman and his

son should be delivered up to them, though they consent to allow the

rest of his family to accompany you if you wish it."

"We cannot accept such terms," said my father at once. "We are resolved

to defend our friends with our lives!"

"I thought as much," said Mr Mallet. "I promised, however, to convey

their message, in order to gain time. Is there no way by which your

friends can escape by the other end of the igarape?"

"There may be, but the Indians know it as well as we do," observed my

father, "and would probably lie in wait to catch them. I must ask you

to return and inform them that we cannot give up our friends who have

hospitably entertained us, and that if they insist on attacking the

fort, they must take the consequences."

The recluse once more went back to the insurgent Indians. Pedro, on

hearing the message, tried to persuade his father to escape with him in

one of the small canoes; but the old gentleman declared at once that he

would not make the attempt, as he was sure he should thus only fall into

the hands of his enemies.

We now anxiously awaited the return of our friend. An hour passed by,

when we saw among the trees a large number of natives approaching the

fort, some armed with muskets, but the greater number with bows and

arrows.

"We shall have no difficulty in beating back that rabble!" exclaimed

Tony. "We must first pick off the fellows with firearms, and the others

will soon take to flight."

I did not feel so confident as my friend. The enemy from their numbers

alone were formidable, and if well led, might, I feared, easily

overpower us. Their numbers increased, and they seemed on the point of

making a dash at the fort, when a loud shout was raised behind them.

They turned round, looking eagerly in the direction from whence it came.

Presently three persons came out from among them. One I recognised as

the recluse; but the other two I looked at again and again, and at

length was convinced that one was Don Jose, and the other his attendant

Isoro. Don Jose, turning to the natives, addressed them in the Lingua

Geral, which they all probably understood. They were sufficiently near

for us to hear what was said.

"My friends," he exclaimed, "what is it you require? Do you seek the

blood of these white people? What will that benefit you? Listen to

Pumacagua--a Peruvian cacique--who regards with affection the whole

Indian race; who would wish to see them united as one tribe, prosperous

and happy, enjoying all the benefits of our magnificent country. If you

destroy these people, you will but bring down the vengeance of the

powerful whites on your heads. Some among them are my friends. They

have never harmed you. They wish you well, I know, and are even now

sufferers for the cause of liberty. Be advised by me. Return to your

homes, and seek not by force to obtain your rights. It will, I know too

well by bitter experience, be in vain. Trust to me and my English

friends, who will not rest till we have gained for you the justice you

demand."

We saw the leaders among the Indians consulting together. The recluse

now went among them, and addressed them earnestly. His and Don Jose's

words seemed to have a powerful effect. Greatly to our relief, they

began to retire through the forest. Our friends accompanied them to

their canoes, while Arthur and I followed at a distance to watch what

would next take place. The canoes were launched, and the natives,

bidding an affectionate farewell to the recluse, and a respectful one to

Pumacagua, leaped into them, and took their departure to the opposite

bank of the river. We hurried on to meet our friends, and soon

afterwards my father came out of the fort to welcome Don Jose. They

greeted each other warmly.

"Finding that I could no longer render service to my countrymen, and

that my own life was in constant danger," Don Jose said, "I was on my

way down the river to join you, when I saw a large number of canoes

drawn up on the beach, a few people only remaining with them. From them

I learned what was taking place, and I at once suspected, from what they

told me, who it was they were about to attack. I instantly landed, and

overtook the main body of insurgents. The rest you know."

Our friends then returned to the fort, and all hands at once set to work

to complete our vessel. Tony alone was somewhat disappointed at so

pacific a termination to the affair. The additional hands whom Don Jose

had brought with him were of great assistance, as they were all expert

boat-builders; and in less than a couple of days our craft was launched,

and ready to proceed on her voyage. Don Jose and our father had, of

course, much to talk about. The former seemed greatly out of spirits at

the turn affairs had taken, and in despair of the establishment of true

liberty in his country. His affection for my father had induced him to

follow us, and he purposed to remain with him at Para till a change of

affairs in Peru might enable him to return.

The rainy season was now completely over; though the heat was very

great, the weather was fine. At length our new vessel, which we called

the _Manatee_, with the canoes of Don Jose and Houlston in company,

emerging from the igarape, made sail to the eastward.

I have not space to describe the voyage. Sometimes we navigated a wide

expanse of water, where the river's banks were several miles apart;

sometimes we passed amid an archipelago, through narrow channels where

the branches of the giant trees almost joined overhead. Sometimes we

sailed on with a favourable breeze, and at other times had to lower our

sails and take to the oars. For some hundred miles we had the green

forest alone in sight on either side, and here and there long extending

sand-banks, in which turtles are wont to lay their eggs. As we passed

near the shore, vast numbers of wild fowl were seen on the banks, while

the river swarmed with living creatures. Dolphins came swimming by,

showing their heads above the surface, again to plunge down as they

advanced up the stream. Now and then we caught sight of a huge manatee,

and we saw alligators everywhere basking on the shores or showing their

ugly snouts above the surface. At length a high, flat-topped range of

hills appeared on our left hand--the spurs, I believe, of the mountains

of Guiana. The river was now for some distance fully ten miles in

width; so wide, indeed, that it looked more like an inland sea or the

ocean itself than a fresh-water stream. At length we entered one end of

the Tajapuru, which is a curious natural canal, extending for one

hundred miles or more from the main stream towards the city of Para. It

is of great depth in some places, and one hundred yards in width; but in

others so narrow that the topmost boughs of the trees almost met over

our heads. Often as we sailed along we were hemmed in by two green

walls, eighty feet in height, which made it seem as if we were sailing

through a deep gorge. Emerging from it, we entered the Para river, and

sailing on, were soon in a magnificent sea-like expanse, the only shore

visible being that of the island of Marajo, presenting a narrow blue

line far away on our left. We passed a number of curious boats and

rafts of various shapes and rigs, bringing produce from the villages and

farms scattered along the banks of the many vast rivers which pour their

waters into the Atlantic. Still, all this time, we were navigating

merely one of the branches of the mighty Amazon; for, though we had long

felt the influence of the tide, yet the water, even when it was flowing,

was but slightly brackish.

At length, entering the sheltered bay of Goajara, we, with thankful

hearts, saw the city of Para stretching out before us along the shore,

and our vessel was soon moored in safety alongside the quay. Houlston

and Tony hurried off to their friends, who came down to welcome us and

take us to their house. In most places we should have attracted no

small amount of curiosity as we proceeded through the streets. Each of

the ladies, as well as Maria and the Indian girl, with two or more

parrots and other birds on their shoulders; Nimble sitting on mine with

his tail round my neck; Arthur carrying Toby; while Tony and Houlston

had a couple of monkeys apiece, which they had obtained on their voyage.

Such a spectacle, however, was too common in Para to attract much

attention.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I must now, as briefly as possible, bring my journal to a conclusion.

My father here resolved to establish a house of business, of which Mr

Mallet was to be made chief manager, with Arthur as his assistant.

Maono and Illora, after remaining some time with us, considerably, I

hope, to their benefit, returned to their people with the intention of

showing them the advantages of civilisation, and imparting a knowledge

of the true God and his plan of salvation, which they themselves had

obtained. We were thankful that they consented to leave Duppo and Oria

with us. The two young Indians made rapid progress in English, besides

learning Portuguese; and Ellen and Arthur spared no pains in their

endeavours to instruct them in the more important truths of religion.

Don Jose and his faithful Isoro returned at length to Ecuador, when

peace was once more established in that long distracted province; and

the cacique wrote whenever an opportunity occurred for sending a letter

down the Amazon. Senhor Pimento and his family after a time returned to

their estate, and we never failed to pay them a visit when we went up

the river. The rebellion of the natives was at length happily quelled,

with less bloodshed than often occurs under similar circumstances.

Houlston, Arthur, Tony, and I made not only one, but several excursions

up the mighty river, and throughout many parts of that wonderful region

embraced by the Brazils. I might give a long account of our adventures,

which were not less interesting than those I have already described.

Perhaps I may some day have an opportunity of doing so.

Nimble and Toby lived to the extreme end of monkey existence--the

patriarchs of Ellen's ever-increasing menagerie, which was superintended

by Domingos when she had more important duties to attend to, and

guarded, I may add, by the two attached canine brethren, Faithful and

True.

I made two trips to England, each time on board the _Inca_, still

commanded by Captain Byles. The first time Sam was on board, but on our

return to Para he obtained his discharge, and settled down in that city,

where I often had the pleasure of a long talk with him. "Ah, Massa

Harry!" he used to say, "I chose de good part, and God take care of me

as he promise; and his promise neber fail. He gib me good t'ings here,

and I know him gib me better when I go up dere;" and he pointed to the

blue sky, seen through the front of the provision store of which he was

the owner.

I am thankful to say that the rest of my friends also, as Sam had done,

chose "the good part." Arthur had the happiness of being the means of

bringing his father to a knowledge of the truth. His great wish was to

make the simple gospel known among the long benighted natives of that

magnificent region in which we met with the adventures I have recorded,

and, though hitherto opposed by difficulties which have appeared

insurmountable, he still cherishes the hope that they may be overcome,

and that missionaries with the Bible in their hand may, ere long, be

found traversing the mighty Amazon and its tributaries, now ploughed by

numerous steamers up to the very foot of the Andes, engaged in opening

up to commerce the unmeasured resources of the Brazils. I should indeed

be thankful if my tale contributes to draw the attention of the

Christian philanthropist to the unhappy condition of the numerous tribes

of that interesting country which I have attempted to describe.