or down. We are not going astern either, as we did
yesterday, eh?'

"It would have been useless to flog the fellow or to put him in the
black-list, for he would probably have slipped into his canoe, and left
us to find our way as best we could; besides, when he was sober, he was
as good a pilot as could be desired. I determined therefore to bear
with him and to keep liquor out of his way. I was fortunate in finding
his calabash, which I hove overboard, and gave notice that I would flog
any man who supplied him with liquor beyond his portion. This had a
good effect, and Anselmo kept sober for some time afterwards.

"I made frequent trips in the canoe, taking the youngsters, and always
returned with a good supply of plums. We fell in with several families
of the wild natives I have described. They seemed quiet and
well-disposed, though somewhat low in the scale of humanity.

"I should like to give you an idea of the sort of scenery we met with.
Starting from the ship, we began to force our way under the branches and
amongst dense bushes, till we got into a part where the trees were much
loftier, and the lower branches were level with the surface of the
water, most of them covered with flowers. Besides the plums we found
bunches of delicious fruit growing on the branches of a smaller species
of palm. Frequently we heard the rattle of leaves overhead and caught
sight of troops of monkeys peeping down among the thick foliage.
Paddling on among the lofty trunks which rose like columns out of the
water, presently down came a shower of leaves, and on looking up, we
discovered a flock of parrots or a family of trogons, large
gaily-coloured birds, with clamorous voices and heavy flight, who made
the branches shake as they alighted to seize the fruit pendent from
them. Palm-trees of various species prevailed; there was no underwood,
or it had been destroyed by water, but the sipos or vines hung in dense
masses among the upper branches. I wish that I could describe the
wonderful birds we saw, one perfectly black, with a headdress like an
umbrella, while some lovely specimens of the feathered tribe had white
wings and claret-coloured plumage. Flowers were of all hues, and of
immense size; some of the more lofty trees were literally covered with
clusters of rich golden flowers. On the decayed trunks we caught sight
of crabs of every variety of tint and size, watching for their prey,
while butterflies and dragonflies of