noon
Well it was that the boat was equipped with four boatmen , for the current ran very swift off the high hills , and contained several rapids where two of the men -- yes , and once all four of them -- had to shove with poles . They constantly chewed sections of sugar-cane cut from an armful that had been tossed in at Peña Blanca . Charley tried the same stunt , and found that the sugar-cane juice was good for a lunch . Shortly after noon the course made a long turn about the foot of a mighty , rounded hill , standing alone . Great trees clustered thickly to its top ; and here , high above all , up rose a single straight palm , like a plume in the crown of a noble chief . The boatmen spoke , one to another , and Francisco pointed . `` There you are , Charley , '' said Mr. Adams .