126 NOTES OF A BOTANIST 
police, and the repugnance of judges and juries 
to admit circumstantial evidence, a criminal not 
taken in the act was almost secure of escaping 
conviction. 
During my sojourn at Santarem an incident 
happened of which I copy here the full relation 
from my notebook, to serve as an illustration of 
what I have just stated. 
On the 2nd of August, we had made a long 
excursion by land, skirting the base of the hills, 
and then striking the Igarape d' Irura near to its 
source. We did not reach home again until long 
after nightfall, and I was so much fatigued that 
when I lay down in my hammock I found it 
impossible to sleep — a thing that always happens 
to me after over-exertion. About midnight I was 
startled by a loud rattling at the door, and by the 
Porteiro or town-crier calling out my name. I 
inquired what he wanted. " The Delegado has 
sent to call you," said he. I repeated my question, 
and got only the same answer. " What conspiracy 
am I about to be involved in now," thought I ; 
" do they want to make a second Lieutenant Mawe 
of me ? " My disturbed imagination and aching- 
head suggested I know not what medley of plots 
and false accusations, and I was about to tell the 
Porteiro that if the Delegado wanted me he might 
come and fetch me himself, when he dispelled my 
apprehensions, but at the same time gave me a 
greater shock by calling out that some one had 
stabbed the " Capitao Inglez," that is, my merry old 
friend Captain Hislop ! At that I sprang from my 
hammock, and as King was by that time awakened 
by the tumult, we huddled on our clothes and 
