|
|
Cornugaya Directory 09
Page 10
By the light of that fire a weird and almost tragic scene took place.
Miguel came up to me, and said in a dramatic tone that for the sake of
his wife and children I must let him go back, as we were marching to sure
death. If I did not let him go back ... here he took his forehead between
his hands--"God help me!" he said, and he burst into tears. He said he
did not wish for his pay, as he had not fulfilled his contract. Whatever
he had on his person he was willing to give me if I would only let him go
back. I said I wished him to keep all his possessions, and as he did not
wish to go along with me I would certainly let him go back the next
morning. He would then also receive the pay according to the time he had
been with me. Miguel went back near the fire, where he cried for some
time. Accustomed to deal with Brazilians, I perceived that Miguel thought
my promises too good to be true.
We walked and walked the entire day, until 6 p.m., covering a distance of
26 kil. The Indian Miguel worried me the whole day, saying that cutting
the _picada_ was heavy work and he could not go on, as his finger was
hurting him, and the pay he received--L1 sterling a day--was too small
for the work he had to do. I had to keep constant watch on him, as he was
a man of a slippery nature, and I did not know what he might do from one
moment to another. Also he said we were simply committing suicide by
trying to go through the virgin forest, as we should meet thousands of
Indians who would attack us, and we had no chance of escape. I needed
this man and his companion to carry my sextant and the unexposed
photographic plates, some two hundred of them, which were of considerable
weight.
|
