George Browne - Where Duty Called - or, In Honor Bound

Jack made no reply to this, but led the way from the shore, closely followed by Ronie. It was getting light enough for them to move with ease, as well as to get a good idea of their surroundings, which were not very inviting so far. But in the distance could be seen the dim outlines of the mountains and the borders of one of those luxuriant forests for which South America is noted.

Something like half a mile was passed in silence, when Jack paused, saying:

"If I am not mistaken, there is a small settlement off to our right. Perhaps we had better get a little nearer, though I hardly believe it will be good policy for us to be seen until we get a better understanding of our situation. We certainly cannot boast of being able to present a very attractive appearance," he added, ruefully, while he looked over his companion and himself.

In their bedraggled garments, not yet fully dry, it was small wonder if they did present a decidedly disheveled appearance.

"Do you think we are liable to an attack from the inhabitants in case we should be seen?"

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Jack hit nearer the truth than he realized at the time. The Ban Righ had, in fact, awakened the suspicions of the English authorities, and the attention of the custom officers was directed to her by the placing of a searchlight on her foremast. An examination disclosed the fact that parts of guns and gun-mountings had been stowed away below deck, where passages had been cut to allow the crew to move about with facility. She was released and permitted to leave port because the Colombian official in London claimed that she was being fitted out for the service of his government. Sailing ostensibly for Colon, she called at Antwerp, where she was loaded with 175 tons of Mausers and 180 tons of ammunition, besides field guns, billed as "hardware, musical instruments and kettledrums." She also took on here a French artillery captain, a doctor, and two sergeants. The guns were mounted before she reached Martinique, and while there a sham sale was made. So it will be seen that Jack and the young engineers had ample reason for mistrusting the vessel whose career reads like a chapter from romance rather than the actual history of a ship that, possibly, did more to foment international disputes concerning the Venezuelan war than anything else. – AUTHOR.

Our geographies were wont to credit this nobleman with having given his name to the continent, but modern research has shown this to be an error. The country was already called by the native inhabitants Amarca, or America, which Vespucci very appropriately retained in his written account of the New World, the first that was given to the scholars of that day. From this fact his name became associated with that country, and he became known as "Amerigo" Vespucci, which was very appropriate, though his real name was Albertigo. Later writers, without stopping to investigate, declared that the continent had been named for him, and in that way others accepted the mistake as a fact. The truth is the name of "America" is older and grander than that of any of those who followed in the train of Columbus, and was that appellation given it by the ancient Peruvians, the most highly civilized people on the Western Continent at the coming of the Great Discoverer. – AUTHOR.