COCOS— A TALE OF TREASURE 263 



line of boulders, damming the stream so that a pool 

 of swimming depth barred our way. We wanted to 

 keep our collecting bags dry, but we had no such 

 ambitions for ourselves; a week at Cocos would 

 make anyone feel web-footed. 



Then we would take to the bank, making a pre- 

 carious way along the overgrown slope until the deep- 

 est places gave way to navigable shoals once more. 



Not a hundred yards from the beach, is a huge 

 boulder bearing a mark that has some resemblance 

 to a sombrero ; this has been regarded as a clue, and 

 used as a landmark by many a hopeful explorer, 

 and is generally referred to as "Benito's Hat." 

 The stream was filled with stones, ranging from 

 those that turned treacherously underfoot, to huge 

 blocks six or eight feet high, over which we swarmed 

 clumsily, clutching at any convexity and wriggling 

 to the top, to descend the other side with a final 

 splash. At a fork there was a tiny island, present- 

 ing in miniature a perfect environment for the col- 

 lector. A rotten log, a stump, minute pebbly pools, 

 small saplings, and a few large stones yielded to 

 our inspection termites, ants, little crayfish, large 

 locusts, and several species of spiders, as well as a 

 beetle or two. The main branch of the river turned 

 to the left, but as some of the party had already 

 gone that way, we decided to try unexplored 

 ground, and follow the right-hand, smaller stream. 

 A bank of pebbles drew oui' attention to a cave in 

 a rocky out jutting of cliff; it was a shallow depres- 

 sion under the overhanging hill, and in it were the 

 bones of a large bird. 



