ly pleasant moments
spent in that dull city.

CHAPTER IX

The Departure--Devoured by Insects

A FEW minutes later I had again joined my caravan, watched intently, at a
respectful distance, by a few astonished natives of Goyaz. As soon as all
my mules and horses had been packed--they were very heavily laden--I took
my departure in a direction north-west by west. The six men mounted on
mules came along. I had armed all my followers with the best repeating
carbines that are made, as well as with excellent automatic pistols, and
the long daggers locally used; but personally I carried no weapons of any
kind.

Having been unsuccessful in obtaining sufficient men from the officials
of Goyaz, there yet remained for me one last faint hope. It was to try
and get a few followers from the Indian colony of the Salesian friars, a
few days' journey west of the Araguaya River.

On April 26th, from the height of Santa Barbara (elev. 2,150 ft. above
the sea level), a picturesque chapel and graveyard to the west of the
city, I bade good-bye for good to Goyaz capital (elev. 1,950 ft.). One
obtained from this point a fine view of the entire city spreading from
north to south, at the bottom of the imposing frame of mountains on the
south with their extraordinary columnar formation. Each natural column,
with its mineral composition and crystallization, shone like silver in
the bright light. The _ensemble_ from our point of vantage resembled the
set of pipes of an immense church organ. High hills stood to the east. In
the distance to the south-west the lower country was open with the
exception of mountains in the far background.

We marched rapidly enough across wooded country until we crossed the Rio
Vermelho (elev. 1,750 ft.). My men became very excited and began firing
their carbines recklessly. I had handed to them fifty cartridges each,
with strict instructions not to fire without my orders. I was some
distance off. When I heard the fusillade I immediately galloped to the
spot. The men had blazed away nearly all their ammunition, nor would they
cease firing when I ordered them until they had exhausted their supply of
300 cartridges in all. Why were they firing? Because, said they, they had
crossed the first water on their journey.

My heart absolutely sank into my boots when I realized that it was my
fate to travel with such contemptible imbeciles for perhaps a year longer
or more, and that was only the first day! Oh,