48 JOURNAL OF THE TRINIDAD 



rough scaffolding which had been erected between a couple of 

 trees from whence it is the practice to shoot agoutis which are 

 enticed within range by sundry tempting heads of corn or bananas. 

 Once upon a time a new hand at this sport was duly installed 

 upon such a perch as this, and after waiting for a considerable 

 period his patience was rewarded. But the sportsman was so 

 taken up with the merry jumps and friskings of the lively little 

 beast, the curious way in which it ate and washed face and ears 

 with its fore feet, that he forgot to shoot. At length an unusually 

 comical gesture elicited from him a loud peal of laughter, at 

 which the agouti, surprised no doubt, took himself off so quickly 

 that the gun was presented too late. The hero of this adventure 

 is as much twitted about his agouti shooting as that angler, who, 

 failing to catch trout by the ordinary means, was discovered 

 purchasing enough fish at the fishmonger's to fill his basket, before 

 going home. Our friends had shewn us the poisonous balbac liane, 

 and now they pointed out to us a liane which is a veritable 

 travellers' friend. A huge piece of croc-chien* was cut down, 

 from which dripped the clearest and most palatable of water, 

 which we tasted in an impromptu cup made of the broad leaves 

 of the terete.^ To get a plentiful supply it was necessary to cut 

 the liane clean through in one place and with the least possible 

 delay to sever it again six feet further on, so as to prevent the 

 water running away. 



I have reached the end of my notes of this, to me, delightful 

 excursion. When I had written this far I turned back 

 and found the heading to this paper was " Insect Hunting" and 

 I was at once reminded by a guilty conscience that I was about 

 obtain your kind and indulgent attention by false pretence. 

 My only plea in palliation of my grave offence is the absorbing 

 interest which surrounds everything in Nature. When one has 

 escaped from the dusty streets, the daily routine of office and can 

 throw aside the cares and worries of every-day life for a while — 

 when one is free to fly from the congested centres of civilization — 

 is free to go into the sweetly solemn forests, to hear the rich 

 swelling and falling of the perpetual anthem which ever ascends 

 to highest heaven from bird and insect choristers, rustling leaves 

 and murmuring brooks, as they sing their endless song of praise 

 to the Great Father who gave them being — when one inhales 

 the fragant incense with which tree and flower laden the fresh 

 breezes and so contribute to the continual service of praise to 

 Nature's God, which began when time was not and will only cease 

 when it has passed away. When the eye revels in the glories of 

 light and shade, the golden sunlight, the sombre storm clouds, the 



* Belonging to the Dilleniacese. 

 f Ichnosiphon, sp. 



