The Market Place, Tarma.]

Next morning, all as happy as possible, we steamed down full speed on our
way back to Manaos. We came in for dirty weather all the time, which
obliged us to halt for several hours and put into Itaquatiara for
shelter. A few hours later we were once more in the capital of the
Amazonas, in the city of jewellers' shops and filthy food. On landing I
found Maxim guns and artillery on one side of the principal square, with
police troops in charge of them ready to fire; while on the other side
were the Federal troops, also with their artillery ready for battle. It
was with some concern that I found myself obliged to pass between those
warlike bodies in order to enter the hotel. I was not so anxious for
myself as I was for my photographic negatives and note-books, after I had
taken all that trouble to save them.

However, the Governor at the last moment became scared, and went
personally to call on the Commandante of the Federal troops in order to
assure him of his friendship and affection, so that after all no battle
took place that day.

Only a short time previously the flotilla had bombarded the town. The
people of Manaos had got so accustomed to those little excitements that
they thought nothing of them. There were occasionally a few people
killed, but that was all.

It will be remembered that the _idee fixe_ of Filippe the negro was to
buy himself a _mallettinha_ (a little trunk). The first thing he had
asked me after I had rescued him was if I had seen any good
_mallettinhas_ in Manaos. So after landing we at once proceeded to buy a
tin _mallettinha_ with a strong lock. Then I paid him off and gave him an
ample reward, as he had been the pluckiest and most faithful of all my
men. He was certainly the man who had given me the least trouble of the
entire lot.

Filippe had tears in his eyes when he received his pay and present. He
embraced me and thanked me a million times for having made him a rich
man.

"After all," said he, "we have suffered a great deal, but now I shall be
happy for ever. I shall marry the girl who is waiting for me at home."

"If ever I come out on another journey, Filippe, will you go with me
again?" I asked him.

Filippe pondered for a moment. "Yes," he said with determination. "I have
proved to you that I am afraid of nothing. You only have to order me, and
I will go with you. Even if we are to suffer again as we have suffered on
this journey!"

Filippe was a g