MONTHS afterward the hope within me struggled to a reluctant death, and I found myself without an ambition.

But I was ashamed to go home.

I was in Cincinnati, and I set to work to map out a new career.

I had been reading about the recent exploration of the river Amazon by an expedition sent out by our government.

It was said that the expedition, owing to difficulties, had not thoroughly explored a part of the country lying about the head-waters, some four thousand miles from the mouth of the river.