her. I'll
warrant ye we come in from the tother side."

"Silence, Tom!" commanded his master. "Let us hear what Munday has to
say. You have no right to contradict him."

"Och, awance! An Indyen's opinion prefarred before that ov a freeborn
Oirishman! I wondher what nixt." And as Tipperary completed his chapter
of reproaches, he slank crouchingly under the shadow of the _toldo_.

"So you think the river is there?" said Trevannion, once more addressing
himself to the Mundurucu.

"The Mundurucu is sure of it, patron. Sure as that the sky is above us."

"Remember, old man! It won't do for us to make any mistake. No doubt
we've already strayed a considerable distance from the channel of the
Solimoes. To go again from it will be to endanger our lives."

"The Mundurucu knows that," was the laconic reply.

"Well, then, we must be satisfied of the fact, before we can venture to
make a move. What proof can you give us that the river lies in that
direction?"

"Patron! You know the month? It is the month of March."

"Certainly it is. What of that?"

"The _echente_."

"The _echente?_ What is that?"

"The flood getting bigger. The water on the rise,--the Gapo still
growing,--that is the _echente_."

"But how should that enable you to determine the direction of the
river?"

"It has done so," replied the Indian. "Not before three months--in
June--will come the _vasante_."

"The _vasante_?"

"The _vasante_, patron: the fall. Then the Gapo will begin to grow less;
and the current will be _towards_ the river, as now it is _from_ it."

"Your story appears reasonable enough. I suppose we may trust to it. If
so," added Trevannion, "we had better direct our course towards yonder
tree-tops, and lose no time in getting beyond them. All of you to your
paddles, and pull cheerily. Let us make up for the time we have lost
through the negligence of Tipperary Tom. Pull, my lads, pull!"

At this cheering command the four paddlers rushed to their places; and
the galatea, impelled by their vigorous strokes, once more glided gayly
over the bosom of the waters.

CHAPTER IX.

AN IMPASSABLE BARRIER.

In a few moments the boat's bow was brought within half a cable's length
of the boughs of the submerged trees. Her crew could see that to proceed
farther, on a direct course, was simply impossible. With equal reason
might they have attempted to hoist her into the air, and leap over the
obstruction that had presented itself before t