bands from their foreheads. They travelled much quicker than our
friends, and would reach the banks of the river that evening. In
their ordinary course they would start down the river close upon
daybreak on the following day; but, after some consultation with the
guides, they agreed to wait till noon. Poor Mrs. Arkwright knew
nothing of hours or of any such arrangements now, but her husband
greatly doubted their power of catching this mail despatch.
However, it did not much depend on their exertions that afternoon.
Their resting-place was marked out for them, and they could not go
beyond it, unless indeed they could make the whole journey, which
was impossible.

But towards evening matters seemed to improve with them. They had
now got on to ground which was more open, and the men who carried
the litter could walk with greater ease. Mrs. Arkwright also
complained less, and when they reached their resting-place on that
night, said nothing of a wish to be left there to her fate. This
was a place called Padregal, a cacao plantation, which had been
cleared in the forest with much labour. There was a house here
containing three rooms, and some forty or fifty acres round it had
been stripped of the forest trees. But nevertheless the adventure
had not been a prosperous one, for the place was at that time
deserted. There were the cacao plants, but there was no one to pick
the cacao. There was a certain melancholy beauty about the place.
A few grand trees had been left standing near the house, and the
grass around was rich and park-like. But it was deserted, and
nothing was heard but the roaring of the congos. Ah me! Indeed it
was a melancholy place as it was seen by some of that party
afterwards.