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It would, therefore, be very dangerous to fall into their hands; and Kanimapo advised that we should remain concealed where we were till they had left the neighbourhood. The time, as may be supposed, was an anxious one: still, it afforded us rest; and as we had plenty of food, we were gaining strength to enable us to perform the more arduous part of the journey which still lay before us.
We all stood for a few seconds lost in astonishment at the unexpected scene. "In the recesses of this cavern, my friends, you may remain as long as you desire, without danger of being discovered by your enemies," observed Kanimapo. "The Gothos are unacquainted with its existence; and but few of our people, indeed, know the way to it.
At first I thought he was one of those who had accompanied the army as guides across the plain, but as he made his way directly up to me I recognised him by his appearance as belonging to the tribe of our friend Kanimapo. "I would speak to you, Senor Barry," he said "for I know you, though you may not recollect me. I bring you a written message; here it is;" and he put a paper into my hand.
In the course of a few days we had become quite accustomed to our mode of life, though we were somewhat anxious at the non-appearance of Kanimapo. We could not suppose, after the faithful way in which he had behaved, that he had purposely deserted us, so we began to fear that he must have been captured by the Spaniards, or had met with some accident.
It appeared to afford infinite satisfaction to all parties; and after other speeches had been made by inferior chiefs, and replied to by our friends, we returned home, while the Indians retired to their camp. Kanimapo paid us a private visit soon afterwards, and assured me that the padre and the doctor had been mainly instrumental in bringing about the change of sentiment in his people.
Kanimapo assured us that we need not be afraid of starving, as the region to which he proposed to conduct us abounded with game; and that should we run short of ammunition, his unerring bow would always supply us with an ample amount.
My uncles proposed proceeding to Don Fernando's; and my father would have gone there also, had not Kanimapo undertaken to guide him and his family to a place of safety, if they would trust to him. "I would invite you all to come, but I fear that so large a number would be more likely to be discovered by the Spaniards," he said.
"Those brutes roam everywhere," observed Kanimapo "over mountains and across plains; and they often come into these higher regions in search of deer, so that we must be on our guard against them. Another day passed, and Tim and Chumbo not appearing, we began to feel very anxious about them.
He told us that he had lost his way, and had caught sight of the banditti, from whom he had been compelled to hide till they had passed to a safe distance; and then, by turning back, he had been fortunate enough to discover the path he and Chumbo ought at first to have followed. We inquired if he had seen Kanimapo; but, as we suspected, he had missed him.
Begging the padre and the doctor to guard Norah, Carlos and I put our men in order; then, joined by Kanimapo, and with our lances couched, we dashed on to meet the foe. A swarthy man of hideous aspect was at their head, whom I recognised as Aqualonga himself.
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