leaving the Amazon, this precaution was mainly to
provide against the wild animals, that were always prowling around
camp, and often showed a curiosity to make the acquaintance of the
sleepers, and especially of their supplies.

The white men held an earnest consultation, while occupied in eating
their evening meal or lunch. Had they deemed it prudent to kindle a
fire, they would have prepared some fragrant coffee, of which they
carried an abundance, though plenty of the little berries were
encountered growing wild along the Xingu.

But that much-relished refreshment was now dispensed with, and they ate
their fruit and a slight quantity of dried meat in darkness. The fish
in the river was an unfailing source of supply, but that species of
food also required fire in its preparation, and was therefore out of
the question for the time.

Their latitude was about fifteen degrees south, the temperature being
so mild that the whites could have got along very well with as scanty
raiment as their native helpers, though, as has been intimated, they
clung to a civilized costume. They wore broad Panama hats, flannel
shirts, with no coats or vests, and strong duck trousers thrust into
their bootlegs. Thus attired, they were probably as comfortable as
they could be.

A belt around the waist contained a supply of cartridges for their
Winchesters and revolvers, besides affording a resting place for the
knives, the indispensible Smith & Wesson being carried in the hip
pocket, after the usual fashion.

In view of the unusual peril threatening the party, extra precautions
were taken against surprise. It was arranged that Quincal and Jared
Long should mount guard until midnight, when they would give way to
Pedros and the professor. This would leave Bippo and Ashman free from
any duty, their turn to come the following night.

Ashman, however, insisted on taking a part which was somewhat original
in its nature. He was confident that if the savages found it
impracticable to cross the Xingu in sight of the explorers, they would
pass down stream and endeavor to do so, at a point where they could not
be observed by those in camp.

He meant, therefore, to station himself so as to be able to detect such
a movement. With his repeating rifle at command, he was sanguine of
defeating the attempt, even though made by a score of enemies.

But for the peculiar contour of the banks on both sides, the whites
could have done much better by