ruvian put several questions to Stukely, seeming not quite to
comprehend what the white men required; and Dick noticed that after the
ex-priest had spoken a little while with Phil, the latter became much
more fluent and certain in his speech, so that, in the course of a
further conversation of some ten minutes' duration, he contrived to make
Vilcamapata clearly understand what he wanted; whereupon the old man,
facing round toward the huts, lifted up his voice and made what seemed
to be a long proclamation in a language of which Stukely understood
nothing. But if what he said was incomprehensible to the white man, it
was evident that it was clearly enough understood by the Indians, who,
before the speech was half over, came swarming out of their huts and
prostrated themselves before Phil and Dick, grovelling in the dust. Nor
did they attempt to interfere further with the Peruvian; on the
contrary, they listened with the utmost attention to all that he had to
say to them; and when he had finished, about a dozen of them jumped into
one of the largest canoes, paddled across to the opposite side of the
stream, vanished into the forest, and after an absence of about an hour
and a half, reappeared, singing a song of triumph and carrying the white
men's boat, with all her gear and contents intact, upon their shoulders,
having evidently brought her up past the rapids by a path through the
forest, on the opposite side of the river to that by which Phil and Dick
had ascended.

It was by this time within half an hour of sunset; and when the boat had
been launched in the river above the rapids, towed across to the village
side of the stream, and safely moored, the piache again made his
appearance and addressed himself at considerable length to Vilcamapata;
who, in his turn, addressed himself to Phil, informing the latter that
the villagers were profoundly grateful for the honour which the white
men had done them in condescending to visit their village, and that they
trusted the said white men would, by lodging in the village for that
night at least, if not for a much longer time, afford them an
opportunity to show their gratitude in a practical way. To which Phil,
after consultation with Dick, replied that they were gratified to find
that their Indian children duly appreciated the honour which had been
done them, and that, as a token of their favour, they would accede to
their request to spend the night in the village, provided th