The Delta independent., 1916-06-23
CHAPTER VIII.
Evidences, of Human Life.

"a that even human life itself
was not far from US In those
mysterious recesses. On the
third day out we were aware Of sin
guiar deep throbbing in the air,
rhythmic and solemn. coming and go
ing fltfully throughout the morning.
The two boats were padding within a
few yards Of each other when first we
heard 1t. and our Indians remained mo
tionless, as II they had been turned TO
bronze, listening intently with express
sions of terror upon their faces.
What is it?'' / asked.
Drums" said Lord John carelessly.
war drums. | have heard them be
fore"
"Yes, sir, war drums" said Gomez,
the half breed. "Wlld Indians. bravos,
not mansos. They watch US every mile
Of the way. XIII us If they can
"How can they watch usT' asked.
gazing into the dark, motionless void.
The half breed shrugged his broad
shoulders.
1.-THE Indians know. They have their
own way. They watch us. They talk
the drum talk to each other. XIII us Il
they can" .
All day the drums rumbled and whis-
pered, while their menace reflected. It.
self In the faces of our colored com
panionA Even the hardy, staggering
half breed seemed cowed. ! learned.
however. that day. once for all. that
both Summerlee and Challenger pos
sessed that highest type Of bravery.
the bravery of the scientific mind.
Theirs was the spirit which upheld
Darwin among the gauchos Of the Ar
gentine or Wallace among the head
hunters Of Malaga. 1t Is decreed by
merciful nature that the human brain
cannot think of two things simultane-
ously, so that If 1t be stepped in curl
osity as to science 1t has no room for
merely personal considerations. All
day amid that incessant and mysteri
Gus menace our two professors watched
every bird upon the wing and every
shrub upon the bank, with many a
sharp wordy contention. when the snarl
of Summerlee came quick upon the
deep growl of Challenger. but with no
more sense of danger and no more ref
erence to drum beating Indians than II
they were seated together In the smok-
Ing room Of the Royal society's club In
st. James street.
That night we moOred our canoes
with heavy stones for anchors in the
center of the stream and made every
preparation for possible attack.
Nothing came. however. and with the
dawn we pushed upon our way. the
/ hAa dpipo nttf hahtnd
/ About 3 o'clock In the afternoon we
came to IA very steep rapid, more than
mile long-the very one In which Pro-
fessor Challenger had suffered disaster
upon his first journey. / confess that
the sight of It consoled me, for 1t was
| really the first direct corroboration.
slight as It was, Of the truth of his sto-
ry. The Indians carried first our ca
noes and then our stores through the
brushwood, which Is very thick at this
point, while we four whites, our rifles
on our shoulders. walked between them
and any danger coming from the
woods. Before evening we had sue
cessfully passed the rapids and made
our way some ten miles above them.
where we anchored for the night. At
this point reckoned that we had come
not less than a hundred miles up the
tributary from the main stream.
1t was in the .early forenoon OF the
next day that we made the great de-
parture. Since dawn Professor Chal-
lenger had been acutely uneasy con
tinually scanning each bank of the riv.
er. Suddenly he gave an exclamation
Of satisfaction and pointed to single
tree which projected Mt peculiar angle
over the side OF the stream.
"What do you make Of thatr' he
asked.
'It Is surely an Assai palm" said
Summerlee.
Exactly. II was an Assai palm
which I took for my landmark. The
secret opening IS half a mile onward
upon the other side OF the river There
In no brcnk In ths trees. That IL the
wonder and the mystery OF It. There
where you see light green rusbes In.
stead OF dark green underground. there