ty such as I had never up to that time beheld, even at
sea. But, beyond a low muttered word or two and a grunt, apparently
expressive of deep satisfaction at the appearance of the unclouded moon,
the savages took no notice of the magical loveliness of the scene; and
while I sat entranced and practically oblivious of everything else, they
merely paddled the harder, conversing in low tones among themselves. Of
course I did not understand a single word of what was said, yet, so much
did I gather from the glances that they flung about them, and the
emphasis and accent of their speech, that I shrewdly suspected them of
anticipating the possibility of attack from the shore.

This suspicion was strengthened, a little later on, by the fact that as
we approached a certain bend in the river our timoneer edged the canoe
in toward the eastern bank, until we were completely plunged in the deep
shadow of the vegetation that grew right down to the water's edge, as
though he were desirous of escaping observation; at least there was no
other reason that I could think of for such a manoeuvre, for by this
time the current was running up quite strongly, and under ordinary
circumstances it would have been to our advantage to have remained in
mid-channel, where the full strength of it would be felt. But if this
was his object he was only partially successful; for we presently
arrived abreast of a bay, or it may have been the wide entrance of a
creek, many of which branched off the main stream on either hand, where
the forest receded so far that, for the distance of fully half a mile,
we were compelled to traverse a space of water completely flooded by the
brilliant rays of the moon, and before we had accomplished half the
passage a quick ejaculation of mingled annoyance and dismay from the
steersman caused me to glance toward the western bank, from an opening
in which half-a-dozen canoes were darting out with the evident
determination to intercept us if possible. Fortunately for us, however,
we had already passed the spot from which the pursuing canoes were
emerging, this spot now bearing well upon our port quarter; but, on the
other hand, our pursuers would presently obtain an important advantage
over us, since they would soon reach the deep channel, where the upward
current was now running strongly. I feared that when they arrived in
that channel they would turn the bows of their craft up-stream and avail
themselves of the advantage af