12 THE NATURALIST IX NICARAGUA. [Cli. II. 



a, rock, with such, force that we were nearly all thrown 

 down, but the strong canoe was uninjured, although no 

 common boat could have stood the shock without being 

 staved in. 



Having determined to go up the river in this boat, 

 we took provisions with us for the voyage, and one of 

 the negroes agreed to act as cook. Having arranged 

 everything, and breakfasted with, my kind friends, Mr. 

 and Mrs. Hollenbeck, I bade them, adieu, and settled 

 myself into the small space in the canoe that I expected 

 to occupy for six days. Captain Anderson took the 

 helm, the " Caribs " dipped their paddles into the 

 water, and away we glided into a narrow channel 

 amongst lonor crass and rushes that almost touched us 



o o o 



on either side. Grreytown, with its neat white houses, 

 and feathery palms, and large-leaved bread-fruit-trees, 

 was soon shut out from our view, and our boatmen ply- 

 ing their paddles with the greatest dexterity and force, 

 made the canoe shoot along through the still water. Soon 

 we emerged into a wider channel where a stronger stream 

 was running, and now AVC coasted along close to the 

 shore to avoid the strength of the current. The banks 

 at first were low and marshy and intersected by nu- 

 merous channels ; the principal tree was a long, coarse- 

 leaved palm, and there were great beds of wild cane 

 and grass, amongst which we occasionally saw curious 

 green lizards, witli leaf-like expansions, which like those 

 on the leaf-insects assimilated them in appearance to 

 the vegetation amongst which it sought its prey. As 

 we proceeded up the river, the banks gradually became 

 higher and drier, and we passed some small plantations 

 of bananas and plantains made in clearings in the 



