“A TRAMP WITH REDSKINS.” 267 
I called the attention of GABRIEL to the strange natural 
phenomenon ; and, he having pointed it out to the others, 
an admiring group of my people soon gathered round my 
hammock. The quite unexpected effeét of this focussing 
of attention was to make the rock at which we were 
looking jump up and disappear behind an adjacent 
boulder. Instantly my people were on the alert, and 
pointed out several other red figures hastening to conceal 
themselves among the real red rocks. It was evident 
that the people of the house, having been frightened 
away by our approach, were now cautiously watching us 
from the surrounding heights, Among the early travellers 
in Guiana the brothers SCHOMBURGK mention the habit 
of the Redmen of suspeéting and flying from all white 
strangers ; but it was the first time that an instance of 
this had come under my own notice. 
It was too late to do anything that evening; and we 
passed a very quiet night, my companions inside, I out- 
side, while the real owners of the house watched us 
from the hills. The incident serves to show the harmless- 
ness of these gentle savages, who, had they been so 
inclined, might have revenged themselves on us, during our 
sleep, in most unpleasant fashion for the unintended evic- 
tion which wehadexecutedonthem. And yetthishappened 
close to the distri€t through which certain recent com- 
missioners of the Brazilians and Venezuelans who not 
long ago busied themselves in delimiting the frontiers of 
their respective countries declared themselves unable to 
pass on account of the notorious hostility of the Recmen. 
Early the next morning we sent out messengers of 
peace and apology; and these, after some trouble, con- 
trived to get within speaking distance of the fugitives, 
