madeourwayupthistunnelofhazygreensunshine.Onthelongerstretchesonecouldhardlytellasonelookedaheadwherethedistantgreenwaterendedandthedistantgreenarchwaybegan.Thedeeppeaceofthisstrangewaterwaywasunbrokenbyanysignofman.
"NoIndianhere.Toomuchafraid.Curupuri,"saidGomez.
"Curupuriisthespiritofthewoods,"LordJohnexplained."It'sanameforanykindofdevil.Thepoorbeggarsthinkthatthereissomethingfearsomeinthisdirection,andthereforetheyavoidit."
Onthethirddayitbecameevidentthatourjourneyinthecanoescouldnotlastmuchlonger,forthestreamwasrapidlygrowingmoreshallow.Twiceinasmanyhourswestuckuponthebottom.Finallywepulledtheboatsupamongthebrushwoodandspentthenightonthebankoftheriver.InthemorningLordJohnandImadeourwayforacoupleofmilesthroughtheforest,keepingparallelwiththestreambutasitgrewevershallowerwereturnedandreported,whatProfessorChallengerhadalreadysuspected,thatwehadreachedthehighestpointtowhichthecanoescouldbebrought.Wedrewthemup,therefore,andconcealedthemamongthebushes,blazingatreewithouraxes,sothatweshouldfindthemagain.Thenwedistributedthevariousburdensamongus—guns,ammunition,food,atent,blankets,andtherest—and,shoulderingourpackages,wesetforthuponthemorelaboriousstageofourjourney.
Anunfortunatequarrelbetweenourpepper-potsmarkedtheoutsetofournewstage.Challengerhadfromthemomentofjoiningusissueddirectionstothewholeparty,muchtotheevidentdiscontentofSummerlee.Now,uponhisassigningsomedutytohisfellow-Professor(itwasonlythecarryingofananeroidbarometer),themattersuddenlycametoahead.
"MayIask,sir,"saidSummerlee,withviciouscalm,"inwhatcapacityyoutakeituponyourselftoissuetheseorders?"
Challengerglaredandbristled.
"Idoit,ProfessorSummerlee,asleaderofthisexpedition."
"Iamcompelledtotellyou,sir,thatIdonotrecognizeyouinthatcapacity."
"Indeed!"Challengerbowedwithunwieldysarcasm."Perhapsyouwoulddefinemyexactposition."
"Yes,sir.Youareamanwhoseveracityisupontrial,andthiscommitteeisheretotryit.Youwalk,sir,withyourjudges."
"Dearme!"saidChallenger,seatinghimselfonthesideofoneofthecanoes."Inthatcaseyouwill,ofcourse,goonyourway,andIwillfollowatmyleisure.IfIamn