se port of Coary, that lies on
the southern side of the river.

When we say of singular construction, we mean singular to one
unaccustomed to the navigation of Amazonian waters. There the craft in
question was too common to excite curiosity, since it was nothing more
than a _galatea_, or large canoe, furnished with mast and sail, with a
palm-thatched cabin, or _tolda_, rising over the quarter, a low-decked
locker running from bow to midships,--along each side of which were to
be seen, half seated, half standing, some half-dozen dark-skinned men,
each plying, instead of an oar, a paddle-blade.

[Illustration]

Perhaps the most singular sight on board this embarkation was the group
of animated beings who composed its crew and passengers. The former, as
already stated, were dark-skinned men, scantily clad,--in fact, almost
naked, since a single pair of white cotton drawers constituted the
complete costume of each.

For passengers there were three men, and a like number of individuals of
younger age. Two of the men were white, apparently Europeans; the other
was as black as soot could have made him,--unquestionably an African
negro. Of the young people two were boys, not much differing in size,
and apparently not much in age, while the third was a half-grown girl,
of dark complexion, raven-colored hair, and beautiful features.

One of the white men appeared to be, and was, the proprietor of the
montaria, and the employer of its swarthy crew. He was Ralph Trevannion.

The young girl was his daughter, and bore her Peruvian mother's name,
Rosa, more often pronounced by its diminutive of endearment, Rosita. The
younger of the two boys--also of dark complexion--was his son Ralph,
while the older, of true Saxon physiognomy and hue, was the son of his
brother, also bearing his father's Christian name, Richard.

The second white man was unmistakably of European race,--so much so that
any one possessing the slightest knowledge of the hibernian type, would
at once have pronounced him a "Son of the Sod." A pure pug nose, a shock
of curled hair of the clearest carrot color, an eternal twinkle in the
eye, a volume of fun lying open at each angle of the mouth,--were all
characteristics by which "Tipperary Tom"--for such was his
_sobriquet_--might be remembered.

About the negro there was nothing special, more than that he was a pure
negro, with enormously thick lips, flattened nose, long protruding
heels, teeth white as hippopot