This of course was so abundant that the work was slight, but since
Professor Grimcke and Fred Ashman paid them well for their services
they were left to attend to that duty unassisted.

As the surroundings of the party were entirely new and strange, Grimcke
proposed that while the evening meal was being prepared, they should
find out, if it could be done, whether any unwelcome neighbors were
likely to disturb them before morning. After a brief consultation, it
was decided that the Professor and Jared Long should make their way up
the river, keeping close to shore, with the purpose of learning the
extent of the rapids, while Ashman and the sailor, Johnston, should
follow the clearly marked trail which led directly away from the stream
and into the forest. It was more than probable that one of the couples
would come upon something worth knowing, and it was not unlikely that
both would return with important information.

Twilight is of short duration in the low latitudes, and the wish of the
four white men was to be back in camp at the end of an hour, by which
time night would be fairly upon them. But the moon was at its full and
would serve them better than the twilight itself.

The German and New Englander, therefore, moved away from camp,
following the course of the Xingu, while their two friends quickly
vanished in the forest. Each carried his repeating Winchester and his
Smith & Wesson.

Ashman felt some misgiving because of the trail leading into the woods
from a point so near the camp. It seemed likely to have been worn by
the inhabitants of some village near at hand, though it was possible
that the innumerable feet of wild animals on their way to and from the