natives were the superior in intelligence of any that had yet been
encountered during the ascent of the Xingu. The huts were a dozen feet
square, half as high, and each had a broad open entrance in the middle
of the front. They seemed to be built of logs or heavy limbs, the
roofs being flat and composed of the branches of trees, overlaid with
leaves and earth.

In the middle of the open square was a tall pole, like an immense
flag-staff. The light which had been noticed sometime before by the
whites was the full flood of the moon's rays, there being no other kind
of illumination, so far as they could ascertain, in the native village.

The huge pole was without any limbs or appurtenances, but around the
space were gathered a score of figures in rapid motion, the meaning of
whose actions was a puzzle to the white spectators, until they studied
them.

Then it was seen they were struggling together, and the conclusion was
that they were engaged in some kind of a rough sport, for all the rest
of the savages were seated in front of their huts watching the singular
spectacle.

Naturally they ought to have come closer, and the fact that they did
not, suggested that they kept back to give the actors plenty of room
for their performances.

Not the least impressive feature of the scene was the profound silence
which marked it. The shout that first arrested the attention of Ashman
and his companion, must have been some kind of a signal, probably
announcing the opening of the proceedings.