246 CENTRAL AMERICA. 



apparent : pulling about eight or ten yards 

 from the left bank, we saw many iguanas on 

 the branches of the bushes, and these Indians 

 were such capital shots, that they knocked 

 over several in the course of the day. After 

 all their stones were exhausted, they asked 

 me to try shot, and they soon found out that 

 a double-barrelled gun obtained them more 

 iguanas than their volleys of stones could ; 

 but it is rather dangerous work puUing in 

 under the bushes to pick them up, as we 

 brushed off several snakes from the branches 

 into the boat, and the boatmen in general 

 take great care to avoid all overhanging 

 branches. 



The third day on the river we came to the 

 great rapid, as it is called, which, after a 

 little preparation, we shot down ; it is more 

 than a mile in length and runs with great 

 rapidity. When we were half way down, 

 the stream overpowered us, and, instead of 

 keeping the channel, we ran right on a heap 

 of rocks in the middle of the river, and about 

 a foot under water, and if the canoe had not 

 been excessively strong, and framed out of a 

 single tree, we must have been smashed to 

 pieces, we hung in this position for about a 

 quarter of an hour, when, by dint of exertion. 



