ade signs to
me that he was going on an expedition. Supposing it to be for hunting,
I gladly signified that I was ready to accompany him. Several large
canoes, which I had not before seen, were now drawn out of a place of
concealment a little up the stream. Our chief with about forty
followers entered them, armed with their swords, bows and arrows, and
blow-pipes. Not till we had got a little way down the river did I
discover that they bore a more warlike appearance than would have been
the case had they been simply going on a hunting expedition. What had
become of Ali I could not tell, or I might have learned from him more
about the matter. We started soon after daybreak, and pulled along the
coast for a considerable distance, when we landed in a bay where
apparently there were no inhabitants, as the thick jungle came close
down to the water without a break on either side. Here the flotilla
remained till the sun sank low, when we shoved off and continued as
before along the coast. It was dark when we entered the mouth of
another river, up which we proceeded, the men paddling carefully, and
not a word being spoken. We kept close in with the bank, now and then
touching on the long straggling roots of a mangrove-tree, then forcing
our way through the entangled mass of underwood, out of which affrighted
birds flew shrieking amid the darkness.

I had now but little doubt that we were on some marauding expedition.
Now and then we stopped, apparently that our leader might listen to
ascertain whether any enemy was near, when from the forest there came
forth shrill whistles, chirrups, unearthly cries, drumming noises, such
as make one of these Indian forests apparently more full of life during
the night than when the sun sheds his beams over the scene. Now we
glided away more towards the centre of the river, which was as smooth as
polished glass, and reflected, wherever the trees left an opening, the
millions of stars which sparkled in the clear sky overhead; while above
us on either side rose the tall stems of the mighty trees, waving their
sable plumes in the air; and often, as if some sprites were amusing
themselves in letting off rockets, sparks of fire darted out in thick
masses, now appearing in one spot, now in another amid the waving
leaves. The sparks were produced by thousands and tens of thousands of
fire-flies. Thus we made our way up the stream, now branching off in
one direction now in another, till I