looked for it. It kept
moving about under the boughs, as I could tell by the sound of its
rattle. Now it stopped, then went on again, now stopped again, and I
dreaded every instant to see it spring out from its leafy covert toward
us. I kept my gun ready to fire on it should I see it coming. I was so
engaged in watching for the snake, that I did not observe that the
island was turning slowly round. Presently there was a rustling and a
slightly crashing sound of the boughs, and I found that our tree was
once more separated from the island, and just then I saw not only one
but several snakes moving about. One of the creatures came along the
bough, and lifting its head, hissed as if it would like to spring at us,
but by that time we were too far off. Again we went floating down with
greater speed than the floating island, and, judging from the
inhabitants we had seen on it, we had reason to be thankful that we had
escaped so soon.

Duppo, since he had finished eating, had been busy scraping away at some
of the monkey bones, and he now produced several, with which he
intimated he should soon be able to manufacture some hooks. Having put
out our fire lest it should ignite the whole tree, we once more
scrambled back to our former resting-place. Duppo, having got a couple
of lines ready, worked away most perseveringly with the monkey bones,
till he had manufactured a couple of serviceable-looking hooks. These
he bound on with the sinews to the lines. He was going to fasten on
some of the knuckle-bones as weights, but I having some large shot in my
pocket, they answered the purpose much better. The hooks, baited with
the monkey flesh, were now ready for use. Duppo, however, before
putting them into the water, warned me that I must be very quick in
striking, lest the fish should bite the lines through before we hauled
them up. As we were floating downwards we cast the lines up the
current, taking our seat on a stout bough projecting over the water.
There we sat, eagerly waiting for a bite, True looking on with great
gravity, as if he understood all about the matter. I almost trembled
with eagerness, when before long I felt a tug at my line. I struck at
once, but up it came without a fish. Again, in a short time, I felt
another bite. It seemed a good strong pull, and I hoped that I had
caught a fish which would give us a dinner. I hauled it up, but as it
rose above the water I saw that it was not many inches in