oar or the terrible jaguar; while the waters fairly teemed with
fish, from the delicious mullet up to the gigantic manatee, or
sea-cow--if this can be properly called a fish. The first time
Donalblane saw a manatee he was filled with amazement--it seemed so
huge, so hideous, so extraordinary a monster; but when he got over his
first surprise, he became possessed with the notion of adding one to
his list of trophies.

"Do so, by all means," said Mr. Paterson, when he mentioned his purpose
to him. "The manatee's flesh, in spite of the creature's ugly
appearance, is equal to the best pork, and we cannot have too much of
it for our hungry people."

"Then I'll just do my verra best to get ye one, and maybe two, for they
tell me they are in plenty up yon river," said Donalblane, pointing
towards the so-called Golden River.

"Good luck to you, my lad," rejoined Mr. Paterson, patting him on the
shoulder. "Be sure that the chief hunter goes with you, for the
manatee can give plenty of trouble, if you do not know how to handle
him."

Donalblane promised to be sure of having Raymon, whose heart he had
already won by various little kindnesses, and hastened off to make
arrangements for a start the following morning. He had no difficulty
in securing the co-operation of Raymon, who was only too glad to join
him, and who undertook to procure a canoe and two of the best paddlers
in his tribe. Accordingly, at dawn of the next day Donalblane set out
on his hunt for a manatee.

CHAPTER X.

THE CHASE OF THE MANATEE.

Several hours' steady paddling brought the hunting party, ere the full
heat of the day, to a part of the river where the banks were densely
clothed with mangroves, broken here and there by bayous, whose shallow
bottoms were lush with rank vegetation.

"We get him there," said Raymon, pointing to one of these bayous.
"When sun going down. Plenty of manatee in dat place."

Donalblane was impatient to begin the hunt right away; but Raymon knew
his business better, and so they sought a landing in one of the cool,
dark recesses of the mangrove forest, and, after eating their lunch,
lay down for the inevitable siesta.

It was well on in the afternoon before Raymon pronounced it time to get
to work, and, thrilling with eagerness, Donalblane took his place in
the stern of the canoe, his musket ready for a quick shot, while Raymon
crouched in the bow, holding a harpoon to which was attached a long,
thin rope.