ng in the basin of the Upper Amazon.

CHAPTER XIV. STILL DESCENDING

AT DAYBREAK on the morrow, the 27th of June, the cables were cast off,
and the raft continued its journey down the river.

An extra passenger was on board. Whence came this Torres? No one exactly
knew. Where was he going to? "To Manaos," he said. Torres was careful to
let no suspicion of his past life escape him, nor of the profession that
he had followed till within the last two months, and no one would have
thought that the jangada had given refuge to an old captain of the
woods. Joam Garral did not wish to mar the service he was rendering by
questions of too pressing a nature.

In taking him on board the fazender had obeyed a sentiment of humanity.
In the midst of these vast Amazonian deserts, more especially at the
time when the steamers had not begun to furrow the waters, it was very
difficult to find means of safe and rapid transit. Boats did not ply
regularly, and in most cases the traveler was obliged to walk across
the forests. This is what Torres had done, and what he would continue to
have done, and it was for him unexpected good luck to have got a passage
on the raft.

From the moment that Benito had explained under what conditions he had
met Torres the introduction was complete, and he was able to consider
himself as a passenger on an Atlantic steamer, who is free to take part
in the general life if he cares, or free to keep himself a little apart
if of an unsociable disposition.

It was noticed, at least during the first few days, that Torres did not
try to become intimate with the Garral family. He maintained a good deal
of reserve, answering if addressed, but never provoking a reply.

If he appeared more open with any one, it was with Fragoso. Did he not
owe to this gay companion the idea of taking passage on board the raft?
Many times he asked him about the position of the Garrals at Iquitos,
the sentiments of the daughter for Manoel Valdez, and always discreetly.
Generally, when he was not walking alone in the bow of the jangada, he
kept to his cabin.

He breakfasted and dined with Joam Garral and his family, but he took
little part in their conversation, and retired when the repast was
finished.

During the morning the raft passed by the picturesque group of islands
situated in the vast estuary of the Javary. This important affluent of
the Amazon comes from the southwest, and from source to mouth has not
a single isl