ndeed,theyarechildrenboth—theonewizenedandcantankerous,theotherformidableandoverbearing,yeteachwithabrainwhichhasputhiminthefrontrankofhisscientificage.Brain,character,soul—onlyasoneseesmoreoflifedoesoneunderstandhowdistinctiseach.
Theverynextdaywedidactuallymakeourstartuponthisremarkableexpedition.Wefoundthatallourpossessionsfittedveryeasilyintothetwocanoes,andwedividedourpersonnel,sixineach,takingtheobviousprecautionintheinterestsofpeaceofputtingoneProfessorintoeachcanoe.Personally,IwaswithChallenger,whowasinabeatifichumor,movingaboutasoneinasilentecstasyandbeamingbenevolencefromeveryfeature.Ihavehadsomeexperienceofhiminothermoods,however,andshallbethelesssurprisedwhenthethunderstormssuddenlycomeupamidstthesunshine.Ifitisimpossibletobeatyourease,itisequallyimpossibletobedullinhiscompany,foroneisalwaysinastateofhalf-tremulousdoubtastowhatsuddenturnhisformidabletempermaytake.
Fortwodayswemadeourwayupagood-sizedriversomehundredsofyardsbroad,anddarkincolor,buttransparent,sothatonecouldusuallyseethebottom.TheaffluentsoftheAmazonare,halfofthem,ofthisnature,whiletheotherhalfarewhitishandopaque,thedifferencedependingupontheclassofcountrythroughwhichtheyhaveflowed.Thedarkindicatevegetabledecay,whiletheotherspointtoclayeysoil.Twicewecameacrossrapids,andineachcasemadeaportageofhalfamileorsotoavoidthem.Thewoodsoneithersidewereprimeval,whicharemoreeasilypenetratedthanwoodsofthesecondgrowth,andwehadnogreatdifficultyincarryingourcanoesthroughthem.HowshallIeverforgetthesolemnmysteryofit?TheheightofthetreesandthethicknessofthebolesexceededanythingwhichIinmytown-bredlifecouldhaveimagined,shootingupwardsinmagnificentcolumnsuntil,atanenormousdistanceaboveourheads,wecoulddimlydiscernthespotwheretheythrewouttheirside-branchesintoGothicupwardcurveswhichcoalescedtoformonegreatmattedroofofverdure,throughwhichonlyanoccasionalgoldenrayofsunshineshotdownwardstotraceathindazzlinglineoflightamidstthemajesticobscurity.Aswewalkednoiselesslyamidthethick,softcarpetofdecayingvegetationthehushfelluponoursoulswhichcomesuponusinthetwilightoftheAbbey,andevenProfessorChallenger'sfull-