Indeed in many places they had to scramble so carefully that it would have been impossible for any one to climb with his hands tied behind his back.

But the Indians knew full well that they ran no risk of losing their prisoners; for if they had attempted to escape, dozens of their number were on the watch, before, behind, and on either side, ready to dart away in pursuit.

Moreover, Barney had a feeling of horror at the bare idea of the poisoned arrows, that effectually prevented him from making the smallest attempt at escape.

With a cutlass or a heavy stick he would have attacked the whole tribe single-handed, and have fought till his brains were knocked out; but when he thought of the small arrows that would pour upon him in hundreds if he made a dash for the woods, and the certain death that would follow the slightest scratch, he discarded all idea of rebellion.
One of the animals killed by the Indians at this time was a black jaguar,--a magnificent animal, and very fierce.

He was discovered crouching in a thicket backed by a precipice, from which he could only escape by charging through the ranks of his enemies.