ACROSS UNKNOWN SOUTH AMERICA 
local authorities, the barber was let out accompanied by 
two policemen, the only two in the place, in order that he 
might reduce my hair by half its length or more. 
While I underwent actual torture in having my hair 
clipped, as the prisoner’s hands were trembling with 
excitement, and my ears had various narrow escapes, 
Alcides, who, when he wished, had very persuasive man¬ 
ners, induced not only the prisoner, but the two policemen 
— all three — to escape and join the expedition. I must 
say that I did not at all look forward to the prospect of 
my three new companions; but we were in terrible want 
of hands. I had visions that my expedition would be 
entirely wrecked. There was a limit to human endurance, 
and we could not perform miracles. We still had thou¬ 
sands of kilometres to travel over most difficult and dan¬ 
gerous country. Besides, I reflected, after all, I might 
only be performing an act of kindness by relieving the 
town of the expense and trouble of keeping its only 
prisoner, not to speak of the police force. 
All was satisfactorily arranged, when the prisoner 
inquired where we were going. You should have seen his 
face when I told him. 
“ No, no, no! ” he quickly replied. “ No, no, no, no! ” 
and he waved my scissors in the air. “ I will not come! 
I will remain in prison all my life rather than be eaten up 
by cannibals! No, no, no, no . . . no, no, no, no . . . ! ” 
he went on muttering at intervals, as he gave the last 
clipping touches to my hair. He hastened through his job, 
received his pay in silence, and asked the policemen to 
take him back quickly to the prison. When the chains, 
which had temporarily been removed, were put again 
around his wrists, he departed, shaking his head and 
muttering again — “No, no, no, no . . .! ” 
The wise policemen, too, said that naturally, as their 
prisoner would not escape, they were obliged to remain 
and keep guard over him ... it was not through lack of 
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