Arthur O. Friel

“ Truly, one can not always judge a man by his face or his clothes. But the last part of his story—about the Yabaranos—did not ring true in my mind.
He had not looked me in the eye when he half-blamed the Maquiritares for the trouble. And I know the Maquiritares. Some trouble-makers can be found among them, as among any other people; all of them can fight wickedly if their wrath is aroused; but as a race they are good-humored, laughing much among themselves, and not at all the sort of people to stir up a fight. Besides, there had been only six of them, visiting a whole tribe of Yabaranos. ”

“ Thinking of all this, I decided that later on I would ask the Maquiritares for their side of the story. And that night I did so.
We thumped steadily on down the stream, and for a long time I stood where I was. White remained in the cabin—there was nothing else for him to do—and after awhile I looked in to find him asleep.
We reached the Ventuari even sooner than I expected, and at dark we were camping in a snug little port three miles up on the south side. Not once had I seen or heard anything more of the Yabaranos. Except myself, every man was very tired. ”

“ We Maquiritares slept in the big house, with the unmarried men. The blanco slept outside, in a little house made for him. Last night the moon was bright. It was late. The dogs barked loud. Men went to look. They saw the tall woman leave the house of the blanco and run to her little window. She crept in. It became quiet.
“The Yabaranos do not like such things. The men talked. When day came we told the blanco we all must go. We made ready. Men came and told us we must stay. The blanco must stay until the man of the tall woman came in. Then the two should settle about whose woman she was. ”