In Search of an Unknown Race — page 261: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

VAN. 247 with repressed emotion, as his eyes watched every movement of the lovely, blushing face so neat his ewn. But what was said after this, I have no means of knowing. Van’s journal and Van himself are equally silent on the subject. When Mr. Richard Briscoe came in half an hour later, they were sitting at opposite ends of the room, and as Van at once began talking very fast about his recent interview with Don Carlos Flores and its results, Miss Ninada had opportunity to regain her usual composure. It seemed that Mr. Briscoe had been enabled to secure a considerable portion of his own wealth before he es- caped from his dwelling, which ten minutes later was swallowed up in the general ruin. In company with Bob Martin anda number of others, he hastened on board a gondol/a moored at the embankment, and they were borne out of danger by the swift current of the river, only reach Para after great peril and hardship. Tom the negro had been faithful to his trust, so that until her father appeared in his own person, Ninada had known nothing of the destruction of Itambez, and was thus spared the agonizing sorrow which the news of his supposed death would have caused her. Regarding Mr. Briscoe’s belief in the singular pre- dictions of the prophets of Itambez I have no comment whatever to make. It is sufficient to say that I know he was sincere in this belief as in that concerning the danger threatened Ninada at her sixteenth birthday. A great many wiser and better men than Mr. Briscoe, cherish equally peculiar fancies. In any event, he felt justified in sending his daughter away, and did so, and the events proved that he was wise in thus doing. EOmMiGcdoo “S (E(0) m