The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-11

roundings. Though in his sixty sixth year, I have never heard him express any dissatisfaction at the occasional hardshIps which we have had to en- counter. I had regarded his presence as an encumbrance to the expedition; but, as a matter of fact, I am now well convinced that his power of endurance is as great as my own. In temper he is naturally acid and skepttcaI.
 Lord John Roxton has some points in common with Professor Summeflee and others in which they are the very antitkesis to each other. He is twen- ty years younger, but has something of the same spare, scraggy physique. As to his appearance, l have, as rec o1lect, described it in that portion of my narrative which I have left behind me In London. He is exceedingly neat and prim in his ways, dresses always with great care in white drill suits and high brown mosquito boots and slaves at least once day. Like most men of action, he is laconic in speech and sinks readily into his own thoughts, but he is always quick to answer 8 question or join in con- versation, talking in a queer, jerky, half humorous fashion. His knowl- edge of the world, and very especially of South America, is surprising, and he has a. whole hearted belief in the, possibilities of our Journey which is not be dashed by the sneers of Profes- Sor Summerlee. He has gentle voice and quiet manner, but behind his twinkling blue eyes there turks Q ca pactty for furious wrath and inp1aca- ble resolution, the more dangerous be- cause they are held in leash.
 a- A. white companions, whose characters and limitations will be further ex- posed, as surely as my own, as this narrative proceeds But already. we have enrolled certain retainers who may play no small part in what is to come. The first is a gigantic negro named Zambo, who is a black Her. cules, as willing as any horse and about as intelligent Him we enlisted at Para on the recommendation of the steamship company, on whose vessels he had learned to speak ha1ting Eng hsh
 It was at Para also that we engaged Gomez and Manuek two half breeds from up the river, just come down with cargo of redwood. They were swarthy fellows, bearded and fierce, as active and wiry as panthers- Both of them had spent their lives in those upper waters of the Amazon which we were about to explore, and it was this recommendation which had caused Lord John to engage them. One of them, Gomez, had the further advan- tage that he could speak Ie1ceIens English. These men were willing to act as our personal servants, to cook, to row or to make themselves useful in any way at a payment of $15 month \ Besides these, we had engag ed three Nojo Indians from Bolivia. who are the most skfHful at fishing and boat work Of all the river tribes The chief of these we called Mojo after his tribe, and the others are known as Jose and Fernando Three white men, then, two half breeds, one negro and three Indians made up the personnel of the little expedition which lay waiting for its instructions Ut Manaos before starting upon it's sfngu lar quest.
 At last, after . weary week, the dag had come and the hour. I ask you te picture the shaded sitting room of the Fazenda St. Ignatao, two miles inland from the town of Manaos. Outside lay the yellow, brassy glare of the sun shine, with the shadows of the palm trees as black and definite as the trees themselves. The air was calm, full of the eternal hum of insects, tropical chorus of many octaves, from the deep drone of the bee to the high, keen pipe of the mosquito. Beyond the veranda was a small cleared gar-S den, bounded with cactus hedges and adorned with clumps of towering shrubs, round which the great blue butterflies and the tiny hunming birds huttered and darted in crescents of sparkling light. Within we we're seated round the cane table, on which lay a sealed envelope. Inscribed upon it in the Jagged handwriting of Pro- lessor Challenger were the words:
 Instructions to Lofd John Roxton aue party. To be opened at Manaos upon Jul5 10. ct 12 o'clock precisely
 Lord John had placed his watch upon the table beside him.
 we have seven more nainuteS,'' said he. seThe old dear is very precise
 Professor Sun1mer1ee gave an acid smile as he picked up ths enxelcpesfn his gaunt hand.
 What can it possibly matter wheth- CT we open 1t now or in seven min utes?' said he. 'It is all part and parcel Of the same system Of quackery and nonsense for which regret to say that the writer 1s notorious.''
 "Oh, comel We must play tue game accordin' to ru1es,'' said Lord John. ''IFs old man Challenger's shoEy, and we are here by his good will, so it would be quite bad form if we didn't follow his instructions to the letter"
 "A pretty business 1t isG'' cried tke professor bitterly. 's1t struck me as preposteFous in London, but r 'In bound to say that it seems even more so upor closer acquaintance. I dop't know what is inside tF4s envelepe; but, un- less it is something pretty definite, shall be much tempted to take the next down river beat and catch the Bolivia at Para. After all, I have some more responsible work in the world than to run about disproving the assertions of a l1tnaffc Now Rex