hose to remain
among them, it was with deep regret that we parted from him and Nita and
their child. He was too sensible to ask me to remain with him, feeling
that, as a civilised man, I had my vocation elsewhere.

"I hope to be of some use to these poor people in improving their
condition," he observed with a sigh. "The employment will serve to
soothe my weary exile."

Manco, and Nita with her child in her arms, stood on the shore, as,
hoisting our sail, we steered our course down the river. I watched them
with aching eyes and a sad heart, till they faded from my sight. Many
years since then have passed away, but I have never received any account
of my brave and noble friend. He may have returned to Peru, when the
War of Independence broke out, and the Creoles threw off the yoke of
Spain. At that time a large number of Indians joined the liberal party,
under the idea that if the Spaniards were driven out, their freedom and
ancient institutions would be restored; but they found that under the
new republic their condition was but little if at all improved. Many, I
am told, however, still look forward to the time when Manco or his son
shall appear, and the Inca and his race shall rule the land.

I wish that I had space to describe our very interesting voyage down the
Amazon. I saw enough to convince me of the fertility of the soil, and
the vast number of productions to be found in its neighbourhood, and on
the banks of the many rivers which run into it.

After some weeks we reached the station of a Portuguese missionary
priest, who received us most hospitably; and finding that he was about
to despatch a vessel to Para, we were glad to abandon our canoe, and to
embark in her. She was about thirty feet long and eight broad, the
after part being decked with a house thatched with palm leaves, which
served as the cabin for the passengers. In the fore part was a
frame-work, covered also with palm leaves, under which the crew stood to
paddle. In the centre was a mast, with a large square sail set on it.
We had received as gifts several monkeys and parrots, and other birds
and beasts, which now served to amuse us, as our own toils were over.
Some parts of the Amazon, down which we sailed, were three miles wide,
and appeared like large lakes. For many hundreds of miles steamboats
might penetrate into the interior of that magnificent region; and I hope
that the enterprise which is every day making new fields for its