"I must thank him!" he exclaimed. "I will run and
overtake him."

We had great difficulty in persuading Arthur of the hopelessness of
finding him, and that he would be more likely to lose his own way in the
forest.

The Indians had been busily employed in putting up huts for our
accommodation. Ellen and Maria, with their pets, had already possession
of theirs. We hung up our hammocks in the more open shed which had been
prepared for us.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

OUR NEW RESTING-PLACE, AND THE ADVENTURES WHICH BEFEL US THERE.

Next morning Maono and his people began erecting a more substantial
habitation for us, signifying that his white friend, meaning the
recluse, had desired him to do so. It was built on the spot we had
previously selected near the igarape, and overlooking the main river. A
number of stout poles were first driven into the ground, and to their
tops others were joined and united in the centre, forming a conical
roof, the eaves projecting below to a considerable distance.
Palm-leaves were then fastened, much in the fashion I have before
described, over the roof, layer above layer, till a considerable
thickness was attained. The walls were formed by interweaving sipos
between the uprights, a space being left for ventilation. We had thus a
substantial hut erected, which it would have taken us, unaided, many
days to build. While the Indians were working outside, John and I, with
Domingos, formed a partition in the interior, to serve as a room for
Ellen and Maria. "We must manufacture a table and some stools, and then
our abode will be complete," said John. Some small palms which grew
near were split with wedges into planks. Out of these we formed, with
the assistance of Domingos, a table, and as many rough stools as we
required.

When all was complete, Maono begged by signs to know whether we were
satisfied. We assured him that we were better accommodated than we
expected to be. He seemed highly pleased, and still more so when we
presented him and his men each with a piece of cloth, he having three
times as much as the others. We gave him also an axe, a knife, and
several other articles, besides a number of beads, which we let him
understand were for his wife and daughter. He, however, seemed rather
to scorn the idea of their being thus adorned in a way superior to
himself, it being, as we observed, the custom of most Amazonian tribes
for the men to wear more ornaments than the women.