but Ben was
strong enough to have carried a small cannon, and thought nothing of the
weight. For me he had provided a stout pistol--such as are used by
dragoons, and by sailors when boarding an enemy's ship--and these were
our weapons. For the rest we had about a pound of small shot, which my
companion carried in his tobacco-pouch, and a quantity of powder safely
corked in a bottle that had once held that favourite English beverage
"ginger beer," and the identity of whose stout form and grey complexion
could not be mistaken even in the forests of Africa. For wadding, we
had brought with us some oakum, well `flaxed' out, and thus armed and
equipped we were ready to do slaughter upon all birds and beasts that
should chance to come in our way.

We walked a good distance without seeing either one or the other, though
we met with many signs and traces of both. We were constantly within
hearing of birds, that sang or chattered among the trees, both above our
heads and around us. From the noises we knew we were within shot of
them, but we could not see a feather to guide us in taking aim. The
reason of this was, that the leaves were so thick upon the trees the
birds were hidden by them. No doubt they saw us well enough and no
doubt we might have seen them, had we known the exact spot in which to
look; for it is a well-known fact, that Nature has given to her wild
creatures such forms and colours as peculiarly adapt them to their
several haunts; as the brown of the hare, resembling the withered gorse
or fallow; the speckle of the partridge, to assimilate it to the
stubble, and many other examples that might be adduced. In tropic
climes this law of Nature is also carried out. The spotted leopard or
panther, though of bright colours that strike the eye when the animal is
viewed in its cage, are scarce discernible among the red and yellow
leaves that strew the ground in a forest; the parrots that frequent the
evergreen foliage are themselves of this colour; while others who haunt
more upon rocks, or the grey and brown trunks of giant trees, are
usually of more sombre hue--for there are rock-parrots both in Africa
and America, as well as those that dwell only among trees.

For this reason my companion and I went a long way without finding a
feather. It was not destined, however, that we should be altogether
unsuccessful in our day's sport. Our patience was at length rewarded by
the sight of a large dark-coloured bird, w