but I knew that, if I did so, I
should be unable to pick it up without the risk of being caught by an
alligator. Thinking that probably the bird would remain until the
morning, I returned to camp.

As soon as Lejoillie awoke, I told him what I had seen. He and I at
once set out with Caesar in search of it. We had not gone far, when, on
dashing forward, a large bird rose, and was flying over our heads.
Lejoillie fired, and brought it down. He uttered an exclamation of
delight as he ran forward, observing that it was a bittern of a peculiar
and rare species, of which he had not a single specimen in his
collection. It stood nearly two feet high. The plumage was of a rich
brown, streaked with black; its breast grey; its beak as sharp as a
dagger. The loose plumes on its neck, with its large yellow eyes
dilated, like all night-birds, gave it a stupid look. Lejoillie hurried
back to the camp to skin it. On cutting it open, we discovered that it
ate small birds, as a water-rail, which it had swallowed whole, was
found in its stomach.

It took us ten days to ascend Pease Creek. Though the current ran at no
place very strongly, it was against us; and as we got higher up, our
course was obstructed by the trunks and branches of trees blown down by
a tempest, through which we had to cut our way.

At length we reached a small shallow lake, from which the eastern branch
of the river takes its rise. We had come to the termination of our
voyage.

"I have brought you thus far in safety, gentlemen," said Munch, as we
paid him the stipulated price for his services, and the hire of the
canoe. "I wish that I could accompany you farther, and that I could be
certain you will get through without misadventure. I have little doubt
about your finding the food you require; but I am not quite satisfied
that you will escape the Redskins. Keep out of their way if you can; or
if you fall in with any, show them that you are not to be trifled with."

"I have a favour to ask, my friend," said Lejoillie. "Will you allow
your black, Jupiter, to accompany us? I have spoken to him, and he is
willing to go if you will give him leave. I'll pay for his journey back
to Hickory Bluff, when we reach Castle Kearney. We should not wish to
part with him until then."

Munch hesitated. "Toby and I will find it a hard matter to paddle the
canoe back without him. Still, as we shall have the current with us, I
won't prevent him, if he wishes to