AND A JOURNEY OVER THE LLANOS OF CUMANA. 35 



effectually exclude a discovery of me, as if I were deeply buried be- 

 neath the waters. I might have exhausted myself by vain shouts 

 and cries, but that I felt how perfectly useless they must be. What 

 was a solitary human voice, with the clang, of the whole living world 

 around me, with the noise of the mighty Orinoco? an infant's 

 whisper amidst the wildest hurricane a dying groan amongst the 

 storm-driven breakers. 



The night had been fair, judging at least, from the dryness of my 

 dress, but the vapour speedily deposited sufficient moisture to render 

 me damp and uncomfortable. Another severe fever fit came on, in 

 consequence of my continued exposure, and the absence of those 

 means which were essential for keeping it in check. As I lay shi- 

 vering and in great agony, I again lost all confidence all hope. 

 Naturally possessing to a considerable degree both active and passive 

 courage, I had generally believed it impossible that any coinci- 

 dence of common dangers should daunt me. But the fate which now 

 was impending over me, joined to my enfeebled health, for a time 

 overcame my spirits, and I lay perfectly still, filled with the gloomiest 

 ideas. The ague-fits lasted commonly nearly two hours the one on 

 this miserable morning was more protracted, or it appeared to me 

 to be so. As the pain and shivering slowly removed, the low and 

 near growl of a jaguar excited my attention. I raised myself partially 

 for the purpose of reconnoitering, but the denseness of the fog pre- 

 vented me seeing clearly even as far as the confines of my habitation. 

 A sudden rush through the air, and a loud crash amongst the ex- 

 treme branches of the tree, instantly roused me to prepare to meet a 

 more pressing danger. Snatching one of the rods I had cut on the 

 previous night, I scrambled out of my hammock and sheltered my- 

 self behind it. Looking towards the point where the struggling con- 

 tinued, I dimly saw a large tiger or jaguar, making the most violent 

 efforts to gain a lodgment. He had, however, miscalculated his leap, for 

 crash after crash the branches yielded to his weight, and spite of every 

 exertion, he at last completely lost his hold and tumbled down a clear 

 height of at least fifty feet. Had he fallen on a hard surface, it is 

 most probable he would have been killed on the spot ; as it was, I had 

 hopes the splash he made in the water would bring about him cro- 

 codiles sufficient to devour him ; and I flattered myself such was the 

 case, for after a good deal of splashing and growling all became 

 quiet. 



I have before said, that after an ague-fit I was very hungry : but 

 now, after a total abstinence from all nutrition for forty hours, my 

 desire for food became almost maddening. There were but few 

 articles which mankind has called edible, but of which I had par- 

 taken. Amongst others, the flesh of the iguana, which was, next that 

 of the armadillo, most esteemed by the natives . in Orinoco, had 

 frequently afforded me a very palatable dish. It had, however, been 

 brought to me divested of the most disgusting forms of the animal 

 itself. But now, as I eyed them, the alternative rose within my mind 

 of speedy starvation or eating the frightful creatures. Hunger is 

 but a little respecter of external appearances, and I was already 

 devizing means to secure one of the lizards. This, however ^ I could 



