298 
And am Blamed foe its Escape. 
four Indians swimming tlie river below me, holding up their weapons 
and small hunting pouches containing powder and lead, out of the water, 
and disappearing in the bush on the farther side. In consequence of 
the high jump into the stream not only their weapons but also the 
ammunition of course must have got wet, on which account I did not 
expect any results from their pursuit. And there was I standing all 
alone by myself upon the high bank in ignorance of my position, whether 
above or below our camp. I waited in vain hour after hour for the 
return of my companions, called, shouted, and whistled again, but 
nothing else was to be heard beyond perhaps the note of some frightened 
bird or animal making its escape. What happened to me on the first 
occasion of my being lost was now vividly called to mind. I also cursed 
myself for neglecting to bring a compass. I also cursed my 
crass stupidity — it was no good, it did not advise me which direction 
to take. I had thus been sitting several hours already and had long 
given up hope that the Indians would make their way back, when I saw 
the bush opening on the farther shore and one Indian after another 
coming into view, throwing himself into the river and swimming over to 
me. Their efforts had been fruitless and although they had found the 
animal again and had got within shot, the guns, as I had foreseen, had 
all missed fire. All of us had loaded with coarse shot, and so none of 
the hits were mortal. The tapir made its escape. My companions 
returned vexed and depressed and although, in their opinion, I Avas the 
main cause of their failure, T nevertheless had often to laugh heartily 
enough when, on the way back, they mimicked the actions of the shot 
animal in pantomime. We reached the camp by sundown where the 
Whole conversation, that lasted far into the night, now turned upon the 
tapir. They related the story of their bad luck to almost everybody and 
in the course of their narrative did not omit to mention even the most 
trivial circumstances. They told how they had found and followed the 
tracks, how the animal had been wounded, and had jumped into the 
river, and how they had pursued it but had come back empty-handed. I 
understood everything, accompanied as it was by the most vivid 
pantomime, as the others listened and now and again interrupted the 
flow of speech with their “Wa” and “Na.” The oft-repeated word 
“Parana gliieri” betiayed distinctly enough that T was also referred to 
here as the main cause for their bad luck. 
843. The great question of the morrow was, as only to be expected, 
the return of Mr. Fryer. Everyone was awaiting the valiant band of 
warriors with the greatest tension and the liveliest curiosity, but never- 
theless with the conviction that it would never more be seen, because they 
imagined the poor fellows were already bound in chains on their way to 
Fort Sao Joa'quim. They were accordingly not a little surprised at the 
party’s return in the course of the afternoon safe and sound, and its 
absolute confirmation of what the Indians had stated. With the 
exception of four families Pirara had been abandoned by all its Indian 
residents ; the Brazilian military garrison had also withdrawn leaving 
but three men behind. These three, however, were not to be found in 
the village, having strolled off to a neighbouring drinking-party. The 
