those of a duck, and of an elliptical
shape. The shells were very hard, of the texture of porcelain, and
extremely rough on the outside. Duppo rubbed them together, producing a
loud sound. Then he shook his head, as much as to say, "If the mother
were alive that would bring her, but there she lies;" and he then told
us that it was the way his people had of attracting alligators when they
found a nest, knowing that the female is sure to be near, and will come
to see what is the matter with her eggs. We carried them on board as a
present to our crew, knowing that they would be acceptable, as the
natives are very fond of them. At night we landed on an island, and
built our huts in the same style that we had done on descending the
Napo. And thus, with various incidents which I have not space to
recount, we proceeded on our voyage for several days without
interruption.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

JOYFUL NEWS.

Day after day we sailed down the mighty Amazon, often the opposite shore
appearing like a blue line in the distance, and yet we were upwards of
twelve hundred miles from the mouth. Now it again narrowed into more
river-like proportions. Sometimes we found ourselves navigating between
numerous islands, cut off from the mainland by the rush of waters; but
along the whole extent, often for a hundred miles together, not a hut
was to be seen, not a sign of a human habitation. Whenever we came near
the abode of man we landed, and Domingos or John and one of the natives
approached cautiously to make inquiries; but hitherto without success.
Here and there we came to a mission establishment of the Portuguese.
They consisted generally of the priest's house, a larger building for
the church, and a few huts scattered about, inhabited by natives. As
far as we could judge, these so-called Christian natives were but little
raised above their still heathen countrymen, while the effect of the
religion they had assumed was to make them more idolatrous and
superstitious than before. The priests, however, were very civil, but
there was nothing to tempt us to remain at their stations; we therefore,
after gaining the information we required, pushed on and camped in our
usual way. We agreed that our father had probably acted in the same
way, for we could gain no certain news of him. We heard, however, what
gave us some anxiety--that the country was in a greatly disturbed state,
and that the natives had, in several places, risen