shove off, and she came down to the water
and had a long talk with her brother, evidently charging him to keep his
wits about him, and to take good care of us. Dear Ellen could scarcely
restrain her tears. "Oh, do be careful where you venture, Harry!" she
said. "I dread your falling into the power of those dreadful savages."
John also gave us sundry exhortations, to which we promised to attend.

We were just in the mouth of the igarape, when we saw in the distance a
small canoe coming down it. We therefore waited for her arrival. She
drew nearer. We saw that only two people were in her, and we then
recognised our friend Maono and his wife Illora. They were bringing a
quantity of plantains and other fruits, with which the centre of the
canoe was filled. Among others were several crowns of young palm-trees,
which, when boiled, are more delicate than cabbages, and are frequently
used by the natives. Maono was dressed in his usual ornaments of
feathers on his arms and head, his hair being separated neatly in the
centre, and hanging down on either side. Round his neck was a necklace,
and his legs were also adorned like his arms.

"I have been thinking a good deal lately about the account of the early
voyagers, who declared that they met a nation of warrior-women on the
banks of this river," observed Arthur; "and looking at Maono, it strikes
me that we have an explanation of the extraordinary circumstance. If a
party of strangers were to see a band of such men, with shields on their
arms, guarding the shores, they would very likely suppose them, from
their appearance, to be females, and consequently, not having had any
closer view of them, they would sail away, declaring that they had met a
party of Amazons, who had prevented their landing. It was thus this
mighty river obtained the name of the Amazon. The idea would have been
confirmed, had they seen in the distance a band of people, without
ornaments of any description, carrying burdens on their backs. These
the strangers would naturally have supposed to be slaves, taken in war,
and employed to carry the baggage of the fighting ladies." I agreed
with him that it was very likely to have been the case.

As our friends drew near, Duppo spoke to them, and told them where we
were going. He then explained to us that if we would wait a little
longer, they would accompany us and assist us in our search. On
reaching the shore, they carried up their present to Ellen