So here it is.
“I had made up my mind,” said Mr. Moore, “to overhaul the boat of Miguel Espartero. He was a Spanish South American, and captain of the sloop Bella Donna, which sloop, I had been told, was to start that very day on its voyage down the river to Para, to which place it was conveying coffee and chocolate, the produce of the river farms.
“I had some acquaintance with Captain Espartero; and I knew he did not want me on his sloop, and I guessed the reason. His ideas of hospitality would compel him to offer me his state-room, and he feared I would accept the offer. That was the reason he pretended not to see me when I first came in sight of him in the gapo. He rowed with all his might and main, without turning his head in my direction. But I thought if I could overtake him, and convince him I did not want his state-room, he would be very glad of my company.
THE CHASE IN THE GAPO.
“So I bribed my Indian rower to his best speed. The captain’s boat was several lengths ahead, and was lighter than ours, but he was not as much accustomed to rowing as my Indian, and I felt pretty sure of overtaking him in the gapo.
“What is a gapo?” said George.
“At certain seasons the Amazon river overflows its banks; and the forest land, covered by the waters, is called a gapo, and Captain Espartero was rowing through one of these to get to his sloop in the open river, and I was following him. I was afraid he would hoist sail, and away before I could reach the sloop, so I made up my mind to overhaul his boat.
“We overtook him after a little rapid rowing, and I made a bargain with him to take me down the river. He was in a hurry, he said, but I was all ready; and in half an hour we were on board the Bella Donna.”
“Why!” exclaimed George, “that is the name of a medicine!”