282 MY LIFE 



season, make what collections he could, then return to Para 

 on his way home. I left him what money I could spare, and 

 as he was now well acquainted with the country, and could, 

 if absolutely necessary, get an advance from our agents at 

 Para, I had little doubt that he would get home without 

 difficulty. But I never saw him again. When he reached 

 Para, towards the end of May, 185 1, he at once took a passage 

 to England in a ship to leave early in June, but before it 

 sailed he was seized with yellow fever, then prevalent in the 

 town, and though at first seeming to get better, died a few 

 days afterwards. Mr. Bates was at Para at the time, pre- 

 paring for his second long journey up the Amazon. He was 

 with him when he was taken ill, and did all he could in getting 

 medical assistance and helping to nurse him. But just when 

 my brother was at his worst, two days before his death, he 

 was himself attacked with the same disease, which rendered 

 him absolutely helpless for ten days, though, being of a 

 stronger and more hardened constitution, he finally recovered. 

 Mr. Miller, the Vice-consul, with whom I and Bates had 

 stayed when we arrived at Para, was with my brother when he 

 died. This gentleman had severe brain-fever not long after- 

 wards, and also died; but he told Mr. Bates that a few hours 

 before my brother's death he had said that " it was sad to die 

 so young." In one of his last letters home he had spoken 

 quite cheerfully, saying, " When I arrive in England I have 

 my plans, which I can better tell than write." And then 

 referring to his brother John's emigration to California, and 

 some idea that he, Herbert, might go there too, he says, " I 

 do not like the California scheme for many reasons. I should 

 like to have seen John's first letter. No doubt he is sure to 

 get on. I wish I was a little less poetical ; but, as I am what 

 I am, I must try and do the best for myself I can." I rather 

 think he had the idea of getting some literary work to do, per- 

 haps on a country newspaper or magazine, and it is not 

 unlikely that that was what he was best fitted for. 



I may here briefly explain why he had no regular employ- 

 ment to fall back upon. Owing to the fact that I left home 

 when I was fourteen (he being then only seven and a half), 



