pe, where we found our
father's canoe waiting for us. Away we all went together. The cries
and shouts of the Indians, as they searched about for the proprietor,
reached our ears. We had too much reason to believe that we should be
followed. There was sufficient light to enable us to keep in the centre
of the water-path. We anxiously looked astern, expecting every moment
to see the canoes of our enemies in our wake. In some places the
igarape was so narrow, and the trees so completely joined overhead, that
we could with difficulty discover our way, and were compelled to paddle
at less speed to avoid running among the bushes at its borders. And
now, from every side, those sounds which I have so often mentioned burst
forth from the forest; yet, though so frequently before heard, their
effect was wonderfully depressing. Sometimes, indeed, they sounded so
exactly like the cries of natives, that we felt sure we were pursued,
and expected every moment to discover our enemies close astern of us.

We continued our night voyage, paddling as fast as we could venture to
move through the darkness. Now and then the light penetrated into the
centre of the igarape, and allowed us to move faster. Ever and anon
flights of magnificent fireflies flitted across the igarape, revealing
the foliage on either side, amid which sometimes it seemed as if
gigantic figures were stalking about, to seize us as we passed. They
were, however, only the stems of decayed trees, or distorted branches
bending over the waters.

Thus we went on, hour after hour, not venturing to stop even to rest the
weary arms of the paddlers; for we had received too clear a warning of
what would be our fate should we fall into the power of the hitherto
submissive, but now savage and vindictive natives. It was no slight
cause probably which had induced them to revolt. The cruelty and
tyranny, the exactions and treachery of the white man had at length
raised their phlegmatic natures, and they were about to exact a bitter
revenge for long years of oppression and wrong. As in many similar
instances, the innocent were doomed to suffer with the guilty; and as
far as we had been able to judge, our friend Senhor Pimento had treated
those around him with all kindness and consideration.

At length a pale light appeared ahead; and emerging from the dark shades
of the igarape, we entered the wide expanse of the Amazon, across which
at that instant the moon, rising above