himself down when he had been standing
up. All the time he was handling his rifle--a very handsome one--and with
rapid movements watched intently now one then another of our party. He
seemed in a state of great nervous strain and excitement. He appeared to
be a first or second cross of Indians and negroes--quite young, some
twenty-four years of age. He had very little clothing upon his person,
which showed limbs of extraordinary muscular strength. Seldom is it given
to one to see so cruel a face, seldom were criminal characteristics so
clearly marked on any one's countenance and in the formation of the
skull. A man with a face like that could be capable of any crime. His
conversation supplied ample further testimony that his physiognomy had
not deceived me. I had so far thought that my men were the coarsest, the
most brutal individuals I had ever met, but they were not in it at all
with the strange figure we had before us. The conversation of my men had
seemed to me disgustingly vulgar, but it now appeared the acme of
refinement when the new man opened his mouth to talk. Good gracious me!
what extraordinary oaths--what perversion of ideas--what foaming hatred
for the Creator, our Saviour, all the saints imaginable, and humanity in
general! Evidently the poor man had a screw loose somewhere within his
brain-case.

I gave him some tobacco, a quantity of which I carried for my men.
Without a word of acknowledgment he seized it, and, with paper my men
gave him, proceeded to make himself a cigarette.

"I am tired of this life," said he, as he rolled the tobacco. "I am a
slave. I owe my master 1 conto 200 milreis (L80). He sold me this rifle,
and some cartridges, and I cannot repay him. I am rotting away with
fever. I am dying of starvation, I am going mad in this place.... I have
no more food, and have been unable for three days to catch fish. Do not
let me die here. Take me with you. I will give you my rifle, this
ring"--a cheap ring which he proceeded to take from his finger--"I shall
work hard and require no pay if you will save me from death."

I told him that he had better consider his position seriously before
doing anything rash. We should not be leaving until the next morning.

The man, whom we shall call X, as I do not wish to divulge his real name,
sat up the entire night talking to my men. His excitement was great--at
least, judging by the loudness of his voice. During those long sleepless
hours--with all of th