95 



monsters would surely afford good sport." " No " is the reply, 

 " it has been tried many times without success." " Dey 

 get too much to eat here, dey don' care for bait sah," volunteers 

 a boatman. Now and again the line of mangroves is broken by 

 a young palm or the creeper clad relict of what Avas once a stately 

 ceiba*-' or silk cotton, as it is more commonly known here. Over 

 every thing, the mangrove roots and the dead trees which thej^ 

 surround grows a vine-like plant which is in places, almost 

 covered with a cup shaped flower, bringing back vividl}^ to our 

 minds the convolvulus to be seen on old neglected garden walls 

 at home. As we get higher up the river the banks become 

 visible, the mangroves give place to solid walls of a small palm!" 

 covered Avith long brittle black bristles Avhich are exceedingly 

 painful Avhen they pierce the skin. At their roots are number- 

 less holes, the homes of the crabs:!: which often stand outside gro- 

 tesquely defiantly waving abnormally large pincer claAvs, the 

 companions to which are as small as the others are great. These 

 creatures are constantly to be seen gesticulating with their claws 

 and now and again a pair may be caught in the entrance of a 

 hole, clashing their formidable weapons against each otlier in 

 what may be presumed to be mortal combat. Again the pick- 

 mock palms are varied b}^ lofty clumps of bamboos || the 

 older stems forming graceful arches Avhilethe younger ones Avith 

 green feathery tops almost sv\'eep the sky. Now and then a pal- 

 miste^l adds further beauty to the scene. A large blue heron 

 rises in front of us and Avith heavy flight reaches the Avitherod 

 arm of a dead silk-cotton, but not for long-, an unsuccessful shot 

 sends him sloAvly flapping away tOAvarn his friends that unusual 

 dangers haunt the river this fine March morning. '• Look out 

 for mangrove rats,"§ says my companion — " they have long spine- 

 like bristles in their fur ; we may as Avell have one if Ave get the 

 chance," but only the boatmen saw one and he escaped among 

 the Imshes ere a gun could be seized. A squirrel ° v.'ith a bundle 

 of moss in his mouth, runs doAvn a tree and vanishes, reminding 

 us by his shape and thick handsome brush, if not hy his colour, 

 of the merry little acorn storer of our English Avoods. No one 

 Avould raise a hand to harm him here, far aAvay as he is from 

 cocoa or nutmeg tree. Ah ! there's a splash I " Babiche ! " cry tliu 

 boatmen and there sure enough Ave see in yonder clump of Avater 

 Aveed a pair of prominent ejes, a narrow forehead and the nose 

 of the Iwblclie peering at us from close to the bank he has just 

 dived from. A momentary pause — a loud crack, a thrOAving np 



* Efiodcndron anfrtictuosum, f Bactris sp. 



I Gelasimus vocaiK. ]\ Vambusa vuljaris. 



*! Orerd'hva oUificea, f Lonclieus nuiajur, ° S:iiini^ ceaiuanf:. 



