er very sweet and luscious. I ate a couple, and while
engaged in eating a third I felt a burning sensation in my mouth and
throat, and, hungry as I was, I was afraid of going on. Duppo, however,
consumed half-a-dozen with impunity. I may as well say here that this
fruit is of a peculiarly acrid character. When, however, the juice is
boiled it loses this property, and we frequently employed it mixed with
tapioca, when it is called _mingau_ by the natives. It takes, however,
a large portion of the fruit to give even a small cup of the mingau. It
grows on the top of one of the highest trees of the forest, and as soon
as it is ripe it falls to the ground, when its hard woody coating
preserves it from injury. The natives then go out in large parties to
collect it, as it is a great favourite among them.

As may be supposed, we were too hungry to wait till the monkey was very
much done. I found that I could eat a little ocoki fruit as a sweet
sauce with the somewhat dry flesh.

Although the island was of some size, yet, as we scrambled about it, we
saw that its portions were not firmly knit together, and I thought it
very likely, should a storm come on, and should it be exposed to the
agitation of the water, it might separate. I therefore resolved to
remain on our former tree, that, at all events, having proved itself to
be tolerably stable.

We were engaged in eating our meal when my ears caught that peculiar
sound once heard not easily forgotten--that of a rattlesnake. Duppo
heard it too, and so did True, who started up and looked eagerly about.
At length we distinguished a creature crawling along the boughs of a
tree about a dozen yards off. It had possibly been attracted by the
smell of the roasting monkey, so I thought. It seemed to be making its
way towards us. Perhaps it had long before espied the monkey, which it
had been unable when alive to get hold of. At all events, it was a
dangerous neighbour. I had no wish for it to crawl on to our tree,
where it might conceal itself, and keep us constantly on the watch till
we had killed it. Now I caught sight of it for a moment; now it was
hidden among the tangled mass of boughs. Still I could hear that
ominous rattle as it shook its tail while moving along. Though its bite
is generally fatal, it is easily avoided on shore, and seldom or never,
I have heard, springs on a human being, or bites unless trodden on, or
suddenly met with and attacked. In vain I