way which they had already traversed, that they were in the midst of
hilly country, a dip in the forest occasionally revealing a blue peak
breaking the sky-line in the far distance. And when they halted at mid-
day on the fourth day it was in a glade that formed part of the very
crest of a mountain spur, so that, even as they partook of their mid-day
meal they were able to look out over a vast extent of country both ahead
of and behind them. In the latter direction they saw mile after mile of
undulating woods stretching away into the distance, the outline
gradually softening and the infinite variety of green tints gradually
merging into filmy grey; and beyond it the Caribbean shimmering beneath
the tropic sun; while ahead of them, to the south-east, and almost
within a stone's throw, as it seemed, rose a lofty ridge, which Lukabela
informed George was the backbone of the range, from the summit of which
could be seen Panama and that--to Englishmen--almost fabulous ocean, the
Southern Sea, the very existence of which the Spaniards were guarding as
a priceless secret.

But, near as that ridge looked from their mid-day camping-place, it was
not reached until the evening of the fifth day of their march; and then,
after toiling up a steep slope for half an hour, the party topped it,
and a sudden shout of exultation burst from their throats as, standing
in a little glade, they looked out over the tree-tops of the intervening
forest and saw first another but much lower ridge, with a mountain
valley between it and them, and beyond that ridge, and only some ten
miles distant, the white towers and buildings of Panama nestling beside
a river which discharged into its harbour, the harbour itself dotted
with a few ships, and beyond it again the great, boundless, mystic
Southern Sea, at the sight of which George and his crew, like the pious
Christian mariners that they were, incontinently fell upon their knees
and gave God thanks, vowing at the same time that by His grace they
would sail those waters until they had recovered the lost ones of whom
they were in search--or had fearfully avenged their death.

And now it became necessary to exercise the most extreme caution, for,
so far as was known, there were no Indians within twenty miles of
Panama, save a few "tame" ones who had been permitted to establish
themselves within some four miles of the city, and who made a living by
growing vegetables and fruit and rearing poultry for the