Of the ancient Manaos one can count but a wandering party or two. On
the banks of the Rio Negro there are only a few half-breeds,
Portuguese and natives, where a few years ago twenty-four different
nations had their homes.

Such is the law of progress. The Indians will disappear. Before the
Anglo-Saxon race Australians and Tasmanians have vanished. Before the
conquerors of the Far West the North American Indians have been wiped
out. One day perhaps the Arabs will be annihilated by the
colonization of the French.

But we must return to 1852. The means of communication, so numerous
now, did not then exist, and the journey of Joam Garral would require
not less than four months, owing to the conditions under which it was
made.

Hence this observation of Benito, while the two friends were watching
the river as it gently flowed at their feet:

"Manoel, my friend, if there is very little interval between our
arrival at Belem and the moment of our separation, the time will
appear to you to be very short."

"Yes, Benito," said Manoel, "and very long as well, for Minha cannot
by my wife until the end of the voyage."


CHAPTER VI

A FOREST ON THE GROUND