Encouraged by this evidence of superior speed, the white men pressed on, anxious to get into communication and establish friendly relations with the Indians before nightfall; and it was not until the two canoes ahead suddenly swerved outward and laid themselves athwart the hawse of the sailing canoe, as though to bar her further progress, that either of the occupants of the latter thought of looking astern. Then they realised that matters were indeed beginning to look serious, for behind them were no less than four large canoes, each containing twenty-one men, which had evidently emerged from a small creek about half a mile lower down, and were now drawing near with unmistakably hostile intentions.
“This looks awkward, Dick,” exclaimed Stukely, seizing his bow and arrows. “Surely they cannot seriously intend to try to stop us?”
“If they don’t, why are they laying their canoes across our hawse like thicky?” demanded Dick. “Hadn’t you better speak to them a bit, Phil?”
“Ay, I’ll try,” answered Stukely. And, stepping into the bows of the canoe, he ostentatiously laid down his weapons and made the usual signs of amity. The reply was a yell of anger and hatred from the Indians, who were blocking the way, while one of them, springing to his feet, shouted:
“Go back, dogs of Spaniards; go back! This is the land of the Mayubuna, and we will permit no Spaniard to set foot upon its soil. We have no desire to be swallowed up, as Atahuallpa and his people were, after he had welcomed you to his country; therefore go back—or die!”
“They take us for Spaniards,” explained Phil to Dick; and, raising his hands, he shouted back:
“People of the Mayubuna, you are mistaken; we are not Spaniards, but are the enemies of the Spaniard, and the friends of all who hate them. We are on our way up the river to fight them, now; and we beg you to give us free passage through your land, and also a little cassava.”
A laugh of derision greeted this statement; and the Indian who had just spoken shouted in reply:
“You lie, dog and son of a dog; you are Spaniards, for your skins are light, like theirs, and one of you has a beard.” And suddenly raising his bow, the speaker discharged an arrow at Phil, which whizzed past within half an inch of that gentleman’s ear.
“Make as though you intended to run down that canoe,” ordered Phil. Then, seizing his bow and fitting an arrow to the string, he answered: