PRAYER IN THE WILDERNESS. 



215 



currents. It will not do to judge of the general character of a country 

 by the size of the trees found driving out of the mouth of a river. When 

 the first navigators on the Amazon saw great logs floating out of the 

 mouth of the river, in whose tributaries we are, they called it "Madeira." 

 This fact set us all looking about for the largest trees in the world, but 

 they are not to be found here. 



After supper the crew knelt by the light of the moon in prayer, 

 "Padre" gave out a hymn, and they all sang according to the teachings 

 of the Catholic church. The scene was a solemn one. Their voices echoed 

 over the waters of the river, and through the woods to the listening wild 

 beasts of the wilderness. Dressed in white cotton "camisas," they 

 kneeled down with faces up, praying with hat in hand. We were able 

 to look at their countenances, which were grave and serious, with an 

 expression of truthfulness and honest devotion. 



The prayers of the evening being over, the captain, a tall, well-built, 

 noble-looking old Indian, stood up and made a speech to the others who 

 lay upon the hairy side of raw hides on the ground. It was an obituary 

 address of some length for the lost member of their canoe. This fine 

 featured Indian had naturally the powers of an orator ; he was fluent 

 and spoke fast. When he reached the winding up of his harangue, 

 he was overcome by his feelings, and speaking of the unhappy news they 

 were called upon to convey to the mother and widow, he shed tears. 

 His manly arm was reached out to point towards the paddle of the lost 

 man, as the last and only token left by the father to the son. 



When the captain finished, they all uttered u buenos noches" to each 

 other, and we slept by the side of the river. 



At daybreak in the morning, the monkeys began the usual chattering. 

 We were struck at the ease with which an ugly, cheerful Indian, who 

 looks out for snags in the bow, and is generally laying on his belly keep- 

 ing watch ahead, repeated English words after Richards. The English 

 language, the schoolmaster decided, came much more easy to these people 

 than Spanish. " Nig," as Richards called him, was the droll one of the 

 crew. He pronounced clearly each word as it was spoken to him ; and 

 yet this man was one of those who could not speak Spanish, generally 

 considered the most easy to learn. The language of these Indians 

 sounds like German. The Yuracares speak fast aud constantly, like the 

 French. The Aymara has the sound of English more than any. The 

 Quichua, both in tone and notes of the words corresponds to the Welsh 

 or Irish, which I have heard spoken. 



The Indians beached the canoe, and for the first time had a general 

 bath. As we passed a cross standing on the bank, the crew took off 



