e
might land on the island, and save our lives; but the wind setting
directly on it, we might lose our canoe, or, at all events, the water
would break into her and destroy our goods. Domingos steered the canoe
admirably, while we made every effort to keep off the island. Presently
down came the blast with greater fury than before. Some of the smaller
birds were carried off their legs and borne away by the wind. Others,
throwing themselves down, stuck their beaks into the sand, and clung on
with their long claws, their feet extended. In spite of our danger,
Arthur and I could not help laughing at the extraordinary appearance of
the birds, as they thus lay in great numbers along the sand, looking as
if they had been shot, and were lying dead till the sportsman could pick
them up. On we drove, narrowly escaping being thrown upon the bank, on
which the foaming seas broke with terrific force.

"Here it comes again!" cried Domingos. "Paddle bravely, and be not
alarmed."

As he spoke, another blast, still more violent, struck us, and in an
instant the covering of our canoe was torn away and lifted up. In vain
we attempted to catch it. It was borne off by the wind towards the
shore. So high were the waves which thus suddenly rose up, that we
expected every moment to be overwhelmed; while we feared that unless we
could manage to anchor we should be driven on the bank to leeward, where
the canoe would be filled with water, and everything in her carried
away. To resist the fury of the waves was impossible. In vain we
strove to get under the lee of the island. Destruction yawned before
us, when we saw, amid the thick forest trees which lined the bank, a
narrow opening. It was the entrance, we hoped, to an igarape,--one of
those curious water-ways, or canoe paths, which form a network of canals
many hundred miles in extent, on either bank of the Amazon. We exerted
ourselves to the utmost to reach it, although the seas which struck the
side of the canoe threatened every moment to upset her before we could
do so. Ellen and Maria had got out their paddles, and laboured away
with all their strength, Maria's stout arms indeed being a very
efficient help. Domingos kept working away with his paddle, now on one
side, now on another, now steering astern as he saw was requisite,
twisting his features into a hundred different forms, and showing his
white teeth as he shouted out in his eagerness. The tall trees were
bending