gorgeous hues flitted amid the more
open spots wherever the sunlight found its way, some of the latter with
crimson bodies and black heads and burnished wings, others with green
and blue bodies. A fine region this for frogs, but many of them live in
trees, finding, I suppose, that they are likely to be gobbled up, if
they keep, as frogs in northern countries do, in the water. As night
drew on, we heard them `hoo-hooing, quack-quacking,' keeping up the
strangest concert imaginable; indeed, had not the consul assured me that
frogs produced the noises, I should have supposed that they were caused
by some species of nightbird; however, I am, I confess, no great hand at
description, nor had we a naturalist on board, or I might have given you
a better account of the various trees and curious things we met with.
Now and then we caught sight of an alligator, but the monsters generally
betake themselves to pools and quiet places, while the waters are, as at
present, at their height. By-the-bye, we did pass a town, which was
seen in the distance. I did not touch at it, but Anselmo informed me
that the inhabitants were engaged in a little civil war of their own,
murdering each other to their hearts' content. Had we had time, I dare
say we might have supplied ourselves with monkey and sloth-flesh,
opossums, snakes, crabs, and a variety of birds, but I doubt whether the
crew would have appreciated the exertions of the sportsman. At last
Anselmo informed me, much to my satisfaction, that we were drawing near
to the termination of our voyage. The trees receded to a distance, and
on either side of us appeared fields of grass, I should think, nearly a
mile in width. Though web-footed birds here and there stalked over it,
not an animal was to be seen; the reason of this was that the grass
floated on the calm surface of the water. I should think we must have
sailed through at least fifteen miles of it. At last we came to off the
town of Angostura. Though not a place possessed of many attractions, I
never dropped anchor with more satisfaction.

"I was not sorry to get the jealous consul and his veiled lady out of
the ship, for, as you may suppose, I wanted to be back among more
stirring scenes, and escorted him and his wife on shore at the head of a
score of bluejackets and five marines, to make as imposing an appearance
as I could. Having seen him reinstated in his abode, and the consular
flagstaff set up again with the flag of