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display some novel or unfamiliar phase. On the occasion in 

 question we were stealing as noiselessly as could be up the 

 stream, our course occasionally hindiMed by enormous snags 

 which barred the way. On either side giant mangroves, whose 

 lofty tops seemed to touch the heavens, were reflected 

 vividly in the placid water beneath. Piercing shrieks idsuis g 

 from the highest branches of the trees bt-trayed the pre- 

 sence of parrots Avho would not otherwise have been 

 discernible from the green fohage surrounding them, 

 while ever and anon corn-birds less tiuiid than tlie n')isy parrots 

 darted across to their ingeniously constructed pendant nests, 

 uttering comically discordant notes eii passant as though 

 mildly protesting against intrusion. In the distance could be 

 heard more and more plainly every minute, the howl or roar of 

 the red monkey, and we were evidi ntlv approaching a small 

 colony of simians when suddenly our paddler, who by the way 

 blessed with only a single optic, had yet made better use of his 

 one than we of our pair, — called out '' Gardez lamantin, 

 m^sieu," when a small dark object a few yards ahead resembling 

 at first sight a discoloured coco-nut or a foot-bull, caught our 

 eyes only to disappear from view almost immediately with a 

 mighty splash awakening the echoes all around, and startling 

 the myriads of mangrove crabs into bustling flight. Hurrying 

 towards the scene of the commotion we saw the same football-like 

 substance on the surface again about twenty yards ahead. 

 Unfortunately we had not provided ourselves with harpoons, 

 but I let fly with some No. A. shot, the result of which was 

 another convulsion of the water even more vigorous than the 

 first. Down plunged the manatee again torpedo fashion, and 

 away we followed as frantically as ever John Gilpin rode, one of 

 us at least trembling with excitement. this went on for several 

 minutes, but how long history telleth not, for I must confess 

 I lost all count of time. The animal true to its name of JSiren 

 continued to lure- us on after the manner of the three cele- 

 brated sisters till at length over a mile perhaps having been 

 covered, the muscles of our willing boatman gave out, when it 

 finally disappeared. We must have hit it fur we fired several 

 shots, but the small leaden pellets had no more effect upon its 

 thick ponderous hide than the pellet of a popgun would have 

 had upon the iron plates of H.M.S. Blake. 



A few days after this incident a female manatee about nine 

 feet long was successfully harpooned at almost the identical spot 

 where we had met the former one. i have here a phsitograph of 

 it which was taken by my friend Mr. Legge who had the 

 creature cleaned out and stuffed as well as local appliances and 

 circumstances would permit. 



