hery, among savages who, if they had not
the virtues, were free from the vices of civilisation, and were too
independent to be tempted by a bribe to deliver him into the hands of
his enemies.

Though in general the country was level, here and there mountains and
rocky ledges crossed our path, the far-stretching spurs of the Andes.
We found the country very thinly populated, though we occasionally fell
in with small parties on their hunting expeditions. The first infidel
Indians we met somewhat raised our curiosity. They were short in
stature, and had swarthy complexions and long black hair, without any
beard on their chins. They wore a long frock without sleeves, and when
we first saw them we took them for women. They were armed with bows and
arrows. They had never seen any white men before, and were at first
very much frightened and inclined to run away; but our Indians, who
spoke their language, that of the Panos, assured them that we would not
injure them, and they became very communicative. When they heard where
we were going, they entreated us not to proceed, assuring us that we
should encounter numbers of cannibal Cashibos, who would to a certainty
kill and eat us.

"Tell them that we fear not the Cashibos nor any other wild men," said
Manco. "If they molest us, we will treat them as the beasts of the
forest, though we would willingly pass them peaceably."

As we rode along after we had parted from our little friends, I asked
Manco who were the dreaded Cashibos; and he told me that they were the
most savage and warlike of all the wild tribes in the Pampa del
Sacramento, between the rivers Ucayali and Hualtaga. "We must be on our
guard against them, for they are equally cunning as fierce, and I truly
believe that they really do eat those they can take prisoners."

Our own Indians were evidently very much afraid of these Cashibos, and
kept a much more watchful guard than heretofore, both as we rode along
and after we encamped for the night. Several days after this we were
approaching that part of the Ucayali, where we proposed to embark. I
longed to reach it almost as much as did Ned. "Ah, mate," he exclaimed,
when I told him that we had little more than one day's journey more on
horseback to perform; "let us once get our craft built and afloat, and
we may snap our fingers at the Cashibos, and any other enemies to boot."

It was necessary, before embarking, to lay in a supply of provision,
that we mi