thick tufts, giving
the whole the appearance of a mass of hay loosely thrown together. Part
of this was under water, but a still larger portion remained above the
surface, high and dry. It was at the root of this fallen tree that my
guide had halted.

He remained but a moment, waiting only till I came up.

As soon as I had reached the spot, he mounted upon the trunk; and,
beckoning me to follow him, walked along the log in the direction of its
top. I climbed up, and balancing myself as well as I could, followed
him out into the water.

On reaching the head of the tree, we entered among the thick limbs; and,
winding around these, kept still farther towards the top branches. I
expected that there we should reach our resting-place.

At length my companion came to a stop, and I now saw, to my
astonishment, a small "pirogue" resting upon the water, and hidden under
the moss! So completely was it concealed, that it was not possible to
have seen it from any point except that where we now stood.

"This, then," thought I, "is the object for which we have crawled out
upon the tree."

The sight of the pirogue led me to conjecture that we had farther to go.
The black now loosed the canoe from its moorings, and beckoned me to
get in.

I stepped into the frail craft and sat down. My companion followed,
and, laying hold of the branches, impelled the vessel outward till it
was clear of the tops of the tree. Then, seizing the paddle, under its
repeated strokes we passed silently over the gloomy surface of the
water.

For the first two or three hundred yards our progress was but slow. The
cypress knees, and huge "buttocks" of the trees, stood thickly in the
way, and it was necessary to observe some caution in working the pirogue
through among them. But I saw that my companion well understood the
_manege_ of his craft, and wielded a "paddle" with the skill of a
Chippewa. He had the reputation of being a great "'coon-hunter" and
"bayou fisherman;" and in these pursuits no doubt he had picked up his
canoe-craft.

It was the most singular voyage I had ever made. The pirogue floated in
an element that more resembled ink than water. Not a ray of sun glanced
across our path. The darkness of twilight was above and around us.

We glided along shadowy aisles, and amidst huge black trunks that rose
like columns supporting a canopy of close-woven fronds. From this
vegetable root hung the mournful _bromelia_, sometimes droo