mals, and was about to depart with the four remaining
rascals and the two Araguary men--six all told--when a policeman, sent in
haste, called me to the Palace. The truly good-hearted Presidente and his
charming family were in a great state of mind. They told me that my men
had gone about the town the previous night drinking, and had confided to
friends that they were merely coming with me in order to murder and rob
me of all I possessed as soon as they had an opportunity. It was an open
secret that I carried a very large sum of money upon my person, as after
leaving Sao Paulo city it was impossible to obtain money by cashing
cheques on letters of credit or other such civilized means, and it was
imperative for me to carry several thousand pounds sterling in cash in
order to be able to purchase horses, mules, boats, food, and pay the men,
as long as the journey should last.

When you stop to consider that I had before me the prospect of not
replenishing my exchequer for at least one year, or perhaps two years or
more, it will be easily understood that if one wants to travel, and
travel quickly as I do, there is no other possible way than to carry the
money with one in hard cash. The risk was certainly enormous, although no
one except myself ever really knew the amount that I actually carried. A
large portion of that sum was in Brazilian notes, a good deal in English
bank-notes, and some four hundred pounds sterling in English gold. As I
could trust nobody, that sum, except what I gradually spent, and barring
the few moments when I took my daily morning bath, never left my person,
even for a few minutes, for the entire period of one year. Most of the
notes were contained in two bulky leather bags and the gold in a third,
attached firmly to a strong belt which day and night--much to my
discomfort--encircled my waist. The larger bank-notes, letters of credit,
etc., were divided into my various coat, shirt, and trousers pockets. The
gold was so heavy that it caused with its friction a large sore on my
right hip--a sore which remained there more or less for an entire year.

"You cannot start under such conditions," said the Presidente
appealingly. "I cannot furnish other men. No one will go, notwithstanding
the high pay you give them."

I thanked the Presidente for his exquisite kindness, and for the very
generous and thoughtful hospitality he and his delightful family had
offered me in Goyaz, and which left in my mind the on