As Waantha had discovered Indian scouts lurking above and below upon either bank of the river, Mr. Dow exercised his engineering skill in forming on the pampa a defensive redoubt for the night protection of the horses and mules. Dr. Baāhar theoretically explained the Latin nomenclature of the different departments of the Roman castrum, which possessed from his natural and cultivated innocence from mechanical attaint the supreme “virtue” of novelty. Mr. Dow submitted to his classical dictations, but stoutly refused to adopt his method of fortification, which the doctor styled _fossa cingere internus_, or moating inside of the redoubt, notwithstanding the strongly urged advantage of its strategic intention of concealment, that would lead the savages, on gaining the summit of the embankment, to take a blind leap into it. Fortunately the padre was present to divert the argument, which enabled him to render practical assistance to his Bamboyle aids for the completion of the inclosure in time for the night’s occupation. The absence of the doctor and padre from the supper table caused the captain to inquire where they were? Mr. Dow said that he had left them but a short time previous seated on the sods of the embankment engaged in a dogmatic discussion of the feasibility of the various methods adopted by the ancients and moderns for citadel defense, the doctor quoting from “Plutarch’s Lives” and the padre from Bunyan’s “Holy War” as the best English authority. Aggravated by the heedless lack of sympathy shown in the use of their tongues, the while withholding the useful aid of their hands, the captain, on their appearance, reprimanded the doctor over the padre’s shoulders with tart severity, which caused both to give heed to the practical suggestions of Mr. Welson in train for the outfit of the overland expedition. From the direction of Correliana, who seemed to have an innate perception of her entertainers’ dispositions, the captain concluded to continue the voyage up the river to a point she described as more favorable for debarkation, as it was nearer the southern passes of the mountains that opened a way to the city of Heraclea.
_June 21._—After the morning meal a majority of the women and children were brought on board of the steamer, and of the males all that would be likely to impede the progress of the land party having in charge the horses and mules. When ready for the start, the doctor joined the shore party equipped in naturalistic costume, which, in defiance of the recent sad experiences of the Bamboyle women, excited a mirthful inclination; even the more sedate demeanor of Correliana was moved in despite of her efforts to suppress her risible emotions. With his nether bifurcations disappearing, in extremity, within the capacious leg receptacles of boots, a blouse surcoat, or smock frock, elaborately supplied with Sanskrit labeled pockets, depended loosely from his shoulders, reaching to his knees, his head being surmounted with a bell-crowned hat, bestudded with impaling pins, technically called the kaleidoscope. Protruding from the larger pockets were seen the mouths of a pistol barrel, powder and drinking horns, with various articles for insect preservation.