240 WANDERINGS IN 



THIRD Daddy Quashi was again beginning to remon- 



- strate, and I chased him on the sand-bank for a 



, quarter of a mile. He told me afterwards, he 



thought he should have dropped down dead with 



fright, for he was firmly persuaded, if I had caught 



him, I should have bundled him into the cayman's 



jaws. Here then we stood, in silence, like a calm 



before a thunder-storm. " Hoc res summa loco. 



Scinditur in contraria vulgus." They wanted to 



kill him, and I wanted to take him alive. 



I now walked up and down the sand, revolving 

 a dozen projects in my head. The canoe was at 

 a considerable distance, and I ordered the people 

 to bring it round to the place where we were. 

 The mast was eight feet long, and not much 

 thicker than my wrist. I took it out of the 

 canoe, and wrapped the sail round the end of it. 

 Now it appeared clear to me, that if I went down 

 upon one knee, and held the mast in the same 

 position as the soldier holds his bayonet when 

 rushing to the charge, I could force it down the 

 cayman's throat, should he come open-mouthed at 

 me. When this was told to the Indians, they 

 brightened up, and said they would help me to 

 pull him out of the river. 



Prepare to " Brave squad !" said I to myself, " * Audax 



cayman omnia perpeti,' now that you have got me betwixt 



yourselves and danger." I then mustered all 



hands for the last time before the battle. We 



were, four South American savages, two negroes 



