112 CAxMPS IN THE CARIBBEES. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



HOW I CAPTURED THE IMPERIAL PARROT. 



MEYOXG. — MY HUT. — A MIXED-UP LAXGUAGE. — DEPARTURE 

 FOR THE FOREST. — PAXXIER AXD CUTLASS. — WOOD-PIGEOXS. — 

 THE STARTLED SAVAGES. — THE BATH. — A GLOOMY GORGE. — 



"PALMISTE MOXTAGXE." IN THE HAUXTS OF THE PARROT. — 



IMMEXSE TREES. — PARASITES AXD LIAXES. — WOOD FOR CA- 

 NOES AXD GUM FOR IXCEXSE. — THE " BOIS DIABLE." — COX- 

 STRUCTIXG THE CAMP. — PALM-SPATHES. — A BOXXE BOUCHE, 

 THE BEETLE GRUB. — XOCTURXAL XOISES. — COMICAL FROGS. — 

 A BLACKSMITH IX A TREE. — THE FIRST SHOT. — THE HUMMING- 

 BIRD'S XEST. — THE PARROT. — AX EXCITED GUIDE. — AN ACCI- 

 DENT. — WILD HOGS. — THE " LITTLE DEVIL." 



"It was a land of rills 

 And birds, and giant hills 

 Rose westward ; eastward thundered the broad main." 



WALLS of reeds and roof of flags, a small hole 

 looking eastward for a window, a larger one 

 for a door. Leaning against the door-post is a Carib 

 youth of eighteen, a gun resting in the hollow of his 

 arm, a coarse cotton shirt and trowsers his habili- 

 ments. Upright, in a hammock swung from two cor- 

 ners of the hut, sits a sleepy American, thrusting his 

 fingers through his long hair ; he is the only white 

 man in that region. Reader, consider yourself intro- 

 duced to my Indian guide, to my hut, and to myself. 

 Mevong, my faithful servant and henchman, was 

 christened Simeon in the little chapel over the hill ; 



