Now came a temporary break in the forest land; and for several miles the road was a mere sand-strip, like a towpath, running between the Amazon and some low, marshy ground. No one was sorry to escape from this district to the higher and more wooded lands again, for not only do such marshes breed all kinds of fever, but they are the chosen lurking-places of crocodiles, water-serpents, and other abominations. On the third afternoon of the new march, Count Oriolla noticed, as they entered upon more forest land, that dark-skinned figures continually flitted among the trees, as though someone were spying on or keeping up with the horsemen. He reported this, and the Prince gave orders for all to draw more together and to have their weapons ready to hand. At every step, too, the track betrayed more and more signs of recent use by horses and cattle; and, from the top of the next hill, a haze like the smoke from dozens of houses was visible. "What are those?" asked the Prince as he pointed to some dark objects moving on the surface of the water a long way ahead. "Canoes, _Hoheit_; and Indians in them," promptly answered the naval captain, more accustomed than the rest to long-distance gazing. "Well, well; let us ride on. They probably intend us no harm." Just then a valet, who was riding a little to the rear, hurried forward. "Your Highness may perceive that we are being followed," he said; and pointed behind him to a group of thirty Indians of some other tribe than the Caribs, who were moving along on foot at a steady double; and among the trees closer at hand several more could be seen. "Better to ignore them for the present," said the Prince. "Evidently the village is not far away; time enough to stop when we come to it." "This looks like an ambuscade," muttered Oriolla to the man riding next him. They had come almost to the end of the little patch of forest, and, beyond the last belt of trees, the heads and forefeet of several horses drawn up in line could be seen. The words were hardly out of his mouth when, howling at the top of their voices, two dozen men shot out from the cover indicated and rode at full speed towards the new-comers. "Pistols out; but let no one fire unless I give the word," shouted the Prince. "Ha! Here come the others from behind." The second lot of Indians had increased their pace, and the Prussians saw themselves about to be hemmed between two little forces of yelling savages. Within a few yards, both parties of redskins halted and either brandished their axes or fitted arrows to their bows. "What do you want?" shouted the Prince in Spanish. "You are our prisoners; you must come with us to our camp," said a young Indian, advancing his horse a foot or two. "Give up your arms." The Prince looked round at his followers. They only numbered thirteen, all told, five of whom had never been under fire in their lives. Then he said resolutely: