We here landed, and built some huts to last us a few days, while Manco sent one of our Indians as an ambassador to the chiefs of the villages, to crave the hospitality of the tribe. We employed the time till the return of the messenger in fishing and shooting, and in preparing the canoe for a longer voyage; for which purpose we fitted her with a mast and sail, a very patch-work affair, made out of our saddle-cloths and some bits of cotton stuff, which Manco had brought with him.
One day about noon, the sound of an Indian trumpet was heard; and soon afterwards, a dozen warriors appeared, their faces and bodies highly painted, and adorned with a profusion of beads. They were clothed in the usual loose tunics, and armed with shields and clubs, ornamented with the antlers of a stag and richly tinted feathers, one end being sharp, to use as a spear; as also with bows and arrows, and lances. They were, I found, of the Sencis tribe. These people live in good houses, cultivate the ground, and use canoes, and are a very intelligent and warlike people.
The present party came to welcome Manco to their country, and to express their willingness to afford him an asylum as long as he chose to remain among them, it was with deep regret that we parted from him and Nita and their child. He was too sensible to ask me to remain with him, feeling that, as a civilised man, I had my vocation elsewhere.
“I hope to be of some use to these poor people in improving their condition,” he observed with a sigh. “The employment will serve to soothe my weary exile.”
Manco, and Nita with her child in her arms, stood on the shore, as, hoisting our sail, we steered our course down the river. I watched them with aching eyes and a sad heart, till they faded from my sight. Many years since then have passed away, but I have never received any account of my brave and noble friend. He may have returned to Peru, when the War of Independence broke out, and the Creoles threw off the yoke of Spain. At that time a large number of Indians joined the liberal party, under the idea that if the Spaniards were driven out, their freedom and ancient institutions would be restored; but they found that under the new republic their condition was but little if at all improved. Many, I am told, however, still look forward to the time when Manco or his son shall appear, and the Inca and his race shall rule the land.
I wish that I had space to describe our very interesting voyage down the Amazon. I saw enough to convince me of the fertility of the soil, and the vast number of productions to be found in its neighbourhood, and on the banks of the many rivers which run into it.
After some weeks we reached the station of a Portuguese missionary priest, who received us most hospitably; and finding that he was about to despatch a vessel to Para, we were glad to abandon our canoe, and to embark in her. She was about thirty feet long and eight broad, the after part being decked with a house thatched with palm leaves, which served as the cabin for the passengers. In the fore part was a frame-work, covered also with palm leaves, under which the crew stood to paddle. In the centre was a mast, with a large square sail set on it. We had received as gifts several monkeys and parrots, and other birds and beasts, which now served to amuse us, as our own toils were over. Some parts of the Amazon, down which we sailed, were three miles wide, and appeared like large lakes. For many hundreds of miles steamboats might penetrate into the interior of that magnificent region; and I hope that the enterprise which is every day making new fields for its employment, may be directed ere long to that direction, to carry the advantages of civilisation among the numerous interesting tribes who inhabit its shores.
It was with much satisfaction that we reached the Portuguese city of Para, situated on the river of that name. From the sandy nature of the soil, and the steady trade-winds which blow from the east, the city, though but little above the level of the sea at high water, is perfectly healthy. There are a good many public buildings, and several largos or open spaces in the city; but the private residences have little pretension to beauty, though they are constructed with a due regard to afford as much shade and coolness as possible. We remained here but two days; for, finding a schooner sailing for Rio de Janeiro, and there being no chance of a vessel direct to England for many months, we resolved to go in her.
I shall never forget the intense delight with which Ned walked the deck as he once more found himself afloat on the open ocean.
“This is what I call life, mate—true life,” he exclaimed; “and it will be a long time before you find me out of sight of blue water again.”