savage Siriniris, but
that the narrowness of the hut seemed to indicate that not more than
two of the Indians, probably a man and woman, had resided there during
a short fishing-excursion.

This discovery cast a shade over the countenances of the porters.
After having collected the provisions necessary for a slender supper,
they drew apart, and, while cooking was going on, began to converse
with each other in a low voice. No notice was taken of their behavior,
however, though it would have required little imagination to guess
the subject of their parliament. The tired eyes of the explorers were
already closed, while their ears, more alert, could hear the confused
murmur proceeding from the Indians' quarter, where the disposition
seemed to be to prolong the watch indefinitely.

[Illustration: "NAPOLEON-LIKE, THEY WASHED THEIR DIRTY LINEN IN THE
FAMILY"--P. 135.]

The dark hours filed past, and jocund day, according to Shakespeare
and Romeo, stood tiptoe on the mountain-tops of Camanti and Basiri,
when the travelers were awakened by a fierce and terrible cry. Lifting
their heads in astonishment, they perceived the faithful Pepe Garcia,
his face disfigured with rage, and his fist shaking vigorously in the
direction of the Indians, who sat lowering and sullen in their places.
Aragon and the cascarilleros, collected around the chief interpreter,
far from trying to calm his anger, appeared to feed it by their
suggestions. An explanation of the scene was demanded. Eight of the
bearers, it appeared, had deserted, leaving to their comrades the
pleasure of watching over the packages of cinchona, but assuming for
their part the charge of a good fraction of the provisions, which
they had disappeared with for the relief of their fellow-porters.
This copious bleeding of the larder drew from Colonel Perez a terrible
oath, and occasioned a more vivid sentiment in the entrails of Marcoy
than the defection of the men. If the evil was grand, the remedy was
correspondingly difficult. Indolent or mercurial at pleasure, the
Indians had doubtless threaded the woods with winged feet, and were
now far away. Mr. Marcoy proposed therefore to continue the march
without them, but to set down a heavy account of bastinadoes to their
credit when they should turn up again at Marcapata. This proposition,
as it erred on the side of mercy, was unanimously rejected, and a
scouting-party was ordered in pursuit, consisting of the bark-hunters
and Juan of