ACROSS UNKNOWN SOUTH AMERICA 
Alcides cried like a child for some time. He and the 
others were ill with fever. Those men I had left in charge 
of my baggage at the camp in the forest had remained 
at that camp for seven days after my departure. Be¬ 
lieving that I was never coming back, three of them had 
abandoned everything there, and even their companion 
Antonio, who was in a dying condition and was unable 
to walk. They had proceeded quickly to the Tapajoz, 
where they had found plenty to eat. Two or three days 
later Antonio had become better; he had shot some 
monkeys and birds, and had been able to keep alive. 
Had it not been for the kind-hearted seringueiro, Albu¬ 
querque, who had started out to rescue Antonio, the poor 
devil certainly would have died there, abandoned by 
everybody. 
I heard stories that day which pained me a great 
deal. When my men believed that I was lost in the forest 
the man X had proposed to his companions to follow 
the picada I had cut, in order to find my body and rob 
me of all the money which he knew I carried. 
“ If he is alive,” he had said to his companions, “ we 
will cut his throat once for all, and we will divide the 
money amongst ourselves.” 
It was with some difficulty that Alcides had prevented 
him from smashing all my baggage open, as he wished 
to divide the contents with his companions. Alcides was 
an honest man. He had stood up against that rascal. 
After a severe fight it had been decided that the baggage 
should be left intact in the forest until such authorities 
as could be sent up from the Fiscal Agency could visit 
the spot and take charge of my things. 
It was then that I understood why the man X was 
now ashamed to face me, and did not come to greet me 
after I had nearly sacrificed my life to save him and his 
companions. 
Albuquerque, the seringueiro , had also been consid- 
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