way, even though we had left the
marks of our knives on the creepers as we went up. As we were pushing
on, my eye caught sight of some trees in a hollow on one side, which I
at once knew to be sago-trees, from the description Mr Hooker had given
me of them.

"See!" I exclaimed to Oliver, "there is a supply of food sufficient to
last us for months, or years, indeed, if we can manage to manufacture
the sago; and I think we shall have little difficulty in doing that."

I pointed it out to Macco. He knew them at once.

"Yes, yes!" he said; "dey bery good. I make food from dem. Come to
look for water dere."

Following him, we proceeded to the hollow I have mentioned. The ground
was low and soft, and gave us some hopes of finding water. We instantly
set to work, digging with our bamboo spades. We dug and dug in the soft
earth; but though it was somewhat moist, not a thimbleful of water
appeared. Still we did not despair. Oliver proposed that we should
look for another spot at a lower level, where we might hope to be more
successful. We accordingly set to work to force our way through the
jungle towards the shore. Even with sharp axes we should have found
some difficulty; but it was very heavy work with our knives. Still, it
had to be done. Water was the first thing we required. We had
progressed a hundred yards or less, though it had appeared to us upwards
of a mile, when we heard close to us a peculiar cry, which sounded
something like, "Wawk--wawk--wawk!--Wok--wok--wok!" loud and shrill
above our heads. On looking up we caught sight of a magnificent bird,
with rich crimson wings, and a long pendant tail like strips of satin.
The head, and back, and shoulders were covered with the richest yellow,
while the throat was of a deep metallic-green. The end of the side
plumes had white points. I had little difficulty in recognising the
bird of paradise, and I remembered Mr Hooker speaking of one which he
called the red bird of paradise. This, I had little doubt, was the bird
before us. Away he flew, however, followed by a smaller bird of a
sombre brown plumage, which I could scarcely have supposed was his mate,
had I not known that the wives of these gay-plumaged gentlemen are
nearly always robed in Quaker-like simplicity. As he went, he appeared
to be pecking away at the fruit of various trees over which he passed.
It seemed surprising, too, that his long ribbon-like tail should have
escaped catching in t