The
longest way round, therefore, was the shortest to our destination.

"A fresh breeze on our quarter enabled us to get out into the open sea
sooner than I expected, when we stood along the northern shore of
Trinidad to the eastward. We carried the breeze with us till we rounded
the point of Galera. I should not have supposed that Trinidad is the
fertile place it really is, from the appearance of its northern shore,
which is that of an immense ridge of barren rocks. Not, indeed, till we
were running down the eastern coast, did its rich and smiling valleys
again appear in view.

"I had good reason to be glad that we had not attempted the Serpent's
Mouth; for when standing across from the southern end of Trinidad
towards the Orinoco the wind fell light, and we were nearly swept by the
current back again into the Gulf.

"Even before we came in sight of the mainland, we found ourselves
sailing through the brown waters of the mighty stream, which as we got
nearer its many mouths, became almost the consistency of pea-soup, and
we had to keep a lookout to avoid the huge trunks of trees swept out by
the current, the ends of some of which, broken off by lightning or the
wind, might have made an ugly hole in our bows. We stood for the centre
and broadest entrance of the river, the only one through which we could
make our way up against the current, and hove-to off the far from
attractive looking town of Cangrayos--here we were to find, the consul
informed me, the trustworthy pilot Anselmo.

"A signal having been made for a pilot, a canoe speedily put off from
the shore, bringing on board a big mulatto, dressed in an excessively
dirty white jacket and trowsers, with a broad-brimmed straw hat which
had seen better days, on his head. He greeted the consul with a
profound bow, and introduced himself to me as `de pilot of de Orinoco,'
who `knowed ebery part of de river from one end to de other, and take up
all de English ships which come dare.'

"`Well, Senhor Anselmo, do you think you can pilot this brig and carry
her back again, without leaving her high and dry on a sandbank?' I
asked.

"`Oh yes, sare, if she twice the size, I take her up all de same,' he
answered with a scornful laugh at the supposition that he might not
fulfil his engagement.

"`Senhor Guedes assured me that you were the best pilot to be found for
the river,' I remarked. At his request we hoisted up his canoe, which
contained a hammock and severa