Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-19

extra man called America to help
with the bullock carts. He had been
pressed into service of the bandits
and, at the point of a revolver, had
been made to show them trail that
led to Bolivia. He told us that after
eScorting them some distance he
handed them over to two Indians with
instructions to take them into the
wilderness and abandon them to their
fate. Judging from his conversation,
he had done all of this most success
fully, because not only had he done
away with the entire rebel band at
one swoOp, but he had received cash
and other handsome rewards before
his treachery had been discovered.
America was anxious to go with us
as far as Utiariti, or even further If
we could take him. The only trouble
was his wife. l objected to carting
a woman about, and America agreed
that it was rather a trial to be bur
dened with one. Nevertheless, he
guaranteed that his wife would not
give the slightest trouble. and it
would be great advantage to him
to take her along. Labor was such
q serious problem with us and so I'M
possible to get that L could not allow
such n chance to pass by, so / con-
word the woman never caused us the
slightest concern. We slid her into
one of the carts on top Of some bag
gage before starting, and / never saw
her again until we unloaded her safely
at our destination three weeks later.
Our route lay through n belt OF
forest country. Great trees crowded
rudely in upon us. The fronds OF
giant palms draped the trail and
from their slender tips dripped water
on us as we passed. Streams had to
be crossed, enormous mud holes ne
gotiated and for more than half the
way the path had to be opened up
with axes. Many times the cargo had
to be carried by hand for q consider
able distance.
/ generally rode in advance with
the pack bullocks. as they t., eled
faster than the covered wagons. The
first day out / had driven my troop
of animals down a side path, when /
caught the sound of voices in the for
est close at hand. The next moment
/ heard Il troop of horsemen dash
along the main trail. shouting and
firing revolvers as they went The
rebels had come back. Americas
scheme for disposing of them had
evidently failed. l was fortunate
enough not to meet them IL second
time, but Bob bringing up the rear,
was saddled with their COMFY for
whole night
They made a further raid on our
depleted stores. hacking open boxes
and splitting the coverings in which
the canvas boats were wrapped. Not
content with this, they appropriated
the two spare horses that we had
been feeding carefully for an emer-
gency. Capt. Miranda was with them
no longer. His followers had left
him in the jungle because he would
not countenance looting. big black
man, with a face like Il steam shovel,
had appointed himself leader of the
crowd. He told Bob he would shoot
at sight any one who interfered with
him. Bob, wisely. refrained from any
arguments on international law, nor
did he try to check their destructive
habits.
The day after this encounter, when
we all had joined forces once more,
we were astonished to see a DISNEY
eled individual crawl out of the
bushes as we were pitching camp. 1t
was Capt. Miranda. He was in
half-starved condition AMI related
what had taken place between him