CHIEF OF POLICE 
more or less miserable-looking, and a population of some 
2,500 souls—“ lost souls,” I should think. 
Slowly, very slowly, came the next morning, March 
thirty-first. At ten o’clock sharp I called on the Chief 
of Police at his hotel, and found that he had departed 
early in the morning and was not to be- expected back for 
some hours! A charming way of keeping an appointment 
which he was so anxious to bring about. 
In the company of Mr. Louis Schnoor I also called on 
the persons who said they had made arrangements for 
my expedition, as I did not wish to have any misunder¬ 
standing in the matter. Far from having purchased 
mules, horses, saddles, and harness, they could produce 
nothing on demand, and finally asked me to remain in 
Araguary for one month — fancy one month in Ara- 
guary! — so that they could produce their purchases. 
As I was driving in Mr. Schnoor’s carriage we met, 
a long way from his home and hotel, the Chief of Police 
and hotel proprietor. I immediately dismounted and 
informed that gentleman of my visit at the appointed 
time. I also demanded that whatever he wished me to 
settle must be settled at once. 
“ Nothing at all,” said he, shaking me warmly by the 
hand. “You owe me nothing. It was all a mistake. 
It was all a mistake. Please do not think of it any more. 
You owe me nothing, nothing, nothing. If I can be of use 
to you, pray order me! I am your humble servant.” And 
his delightful politeness was such that I could hardly 
realize it was the same vicious man of the previous 
evening. In my surprise I had to turn to Mr. Schnoor 
to inquire whether I had got hold of the wrong man. 
Yes, indeed. Some of those fellows of Central Erazil 
were a remarkable mixture of villainy and charm; in 
chemical language one might describe them as sublimates 
of rascality and delightful manners. 
However, good manners or not, I had taken such a 
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