rs it lay prostrate on
the ground, a piece of about thirty-five feet long being marked off to
form the canoe. All day we worked at it, one man at a time being
stationed on the highest point of the rock to give notice of the
approach of an enemy. Before night we had made some progress in
fashioning the bow, and in scooping out the inside. The night passed
off as before, and we began to hope that the Cashibos had had a
sufficient taste of our quality, and did not intend to attack us. Ned
expressed his opinion that it would be necessary to build up some sides
to our canoe; and as we had no means of sawing planks, we looked out for
some tough smooth bark to answer the purpose. The Indians sewed the
pieces we stripped from the trees neatly together; and afterwards they
collected a quantity of black bees' wax, with which to cover the seams.
An Indian occupies the greater part of a year in making his canoe: we
calculated that we could do the work, with the aid of our iron tools, in
ten days or a fortnight. Three days had passed away, and still no
Cashibos had appeared.

"They will, I suspect, not come at all," I remarked to Manco.

"Do not be sure of that," he answered. "You do not know their savage
and revengeful natures. They will lie in wait often for weeks or months
together, to destroy an enemy. I'm afraid that they have only gone to
collect their friends, and will be down on us in greater numbers."

The fifth night passed away, and the sixth night came. Our canoe,
though far from complete, was sufficiently hollowed out to form a boat,
and Ned had that day shaped some paddles; but we had still to build up
the sides, and to pay over the whole with wax, to make it water-tight;
also to put in seats, and half-decks to the bow and stern, as well as to
provision her, to make her fit for our voyage down the river. It was my
watch, and Pedro and one of the Indians were with me.

"Hist, Senor!" said the latter. "I hear an enemy's footsteps on the
ground. The sound comes down upon the wind. They think we are asleep,
or they would be more cautious. Lie down, and we will not undeceive
them till they are close to us."

"You are right," I answered; and I crept silently to where Pedro was
standing, and told him what the Indian had said, desiring him also to
rouse up the rest to be ready for action.

In another minute all hands were at their posts. We were only just in
time; for presently we could distinguish throug