e manner in which it will be received by the pig-headed world.
What's the use of preaching common sense? I'm a perfect donkey!"

"Nay, Peterkin," said Jack; "I appreciate what you say, and have no
doubt whatever that your remarks, if made public, would create quite a
revolution in the juvenile world, and convert them speedily into aquatic
animals. Did you ever think of sending your views on that subject to
the _Times_?"

"The _Times_!" cried Peterkin.

"Yes, the _Times_; why not?"

"Because," said Peterkin slowly, "I once sent a letter to that great but
insolent periodical, and what do you think it did?"

"Can't tell, I'm sure."

"_Took no notice of it whatever_!" said Peterkin, with a look of
ineffable disgust.

But to return from this digression. I was much struck with the splendid
contrast of colours that met my eye everywhere here. The rich variety
of greens in the different trees harmonised with the bright pink plums
and scarlet berries, and these latter were almost dimmed in their lustre
by the bright plumage of the birds, which I felt intense longing to
procure, many of them being quite new to me, and, I am certain, totally
unknown to naturalists, while others I recognised with delight as
belonging to several of the species of which I had read in
ornithological works. I tried hard to shoot several of these lovely
creatures, intending to stuff them, but, to my regret, was utterly
unable to hit them. Seeing this, Peterkin took pity on me, and sitting
down in the bow of our canoe, picked off all the birds I pointed out to
him as we passed, with unerring precision. Most of them fell into the
water, and were easily secured, while one or two toppled off the
branches into the canoe. Several of them he shot on the wing--a feat
which even filled Jack with surprise, and so astounded the natives that
they surrounded our canoe at last, and gazed open-mouthed at my friend,
whom they evidently regarded as the greatest fetishman that had ever
come amongst them.

He was obliged to stop at last and lay down his gun in order to make the
natives cease from crowding round us and delaying our voyage. A number
of iguanas were observed on the branches of the trees that overhung the
stream. They dropped into the water as we approached; but the natives
succeeded in spearing a good many, and I afterwards found that they
considered them excellent food.

If I was charmed with the birds, Peterkin was no less delighted wi