ad time to get so far from Cervanos; but it was
possible that a party might have been despatched, before the attack was
made, to prevent any boats going up or down. Still, as our four guns
would hold in check a strong party armed only with bows and arrows, we
had not much cause to fear.

The crew laid in their paddles to breakfast, that they might paddle with
greater vigour through the channel; and we at the same time took our
morning meal, washing it down with some water from the lake, which was
here perfectly fresh. While I was dipping my cup in the water, a long
dark snout darted towards it; and I had barely time to withdraw my hand,
letting the cup slip, when a pair of hideous jaws closed on it. They
were those of a monstrous alligator. A blow from a paddle and the
shouts of the men made the brute disappear; but I took good care not
again to put my hand overboard while the boat was motionless. Several
others rose a few feet from us, though none came so near the boat as the
first had done; and as soon as the men began to move their paddles, the
monsters, who are arrant cowards, kept their distance.

A short time after this we entered the channel leading to a yet more
southern lake. We eagerly peered among the trees on both sides, but no
Indians could be seen, so we had reason to hope that we had completely
distanced them. Among the numberless shrubs which adorned the shores
were wild plantains and fig-trees, decked with flowers of brilliant and
beautiful colours, which grew on the creepers, festooning the boughs,
and often hanging down in long lines into the water. Birds of all
sorts, and of magnificent plumage, flew amid the branches, or stood on
the fallen trunks floating near the margin--beautiful milk-white herons,
scarlet spoonbills, flamingoes, and various other water-fowl.

We were paddling on, when I caught sight of several figures moving among
the trees. "Are those Indians?" I exclaimed, getting my gun ready to
fire should they prove to be enemies.

"Save your powdher, Masther Barry," answered Tim; "shure they're only
monkeys. We shall hear them howling loud enough at night-time; you
might then fancy that they were a whole troop of Indians coming down to
scalp us."

The animals at which we were looking were of considerable size, with a
reddish tinge on their rough hair. The Spaniards called them "monas
coloradas;" but they are generally known as howling monkeys. We saw
many more among the t