WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA 175 



Now, this contus was a tough, light pole, eight 

 feet long, on the end of which was fixed an old 

 bayonet. I never went into the canoe without it ; 

 it was of great use in starting tlie beasts and 

 snakes out of the hollow trees, and, in case of 

 need, was an excellent defence. 



In 1819, I had the last conversation with Sir 

 Joseph Banks. I saw with sorrow that death was 

 going to rob us of him. We talked much of the 

 present mode adopted by all museums in stuffing 

 quadrupeds, and condemned it as being very im- 

 perfect: still we could not find out a better way; 

 and at last concluded, that the lips and nose ought 

 to be cut off, and replaced with wax; it being im- 

 possible to make those parts appear like life, as 

 they shrink to nothing, and render the stuffed 

 specimens in the different museums horrible to 

 look at. The defects in the legs and feet would 

 not be quite so glaring, being covered with hair. 



I had paid great attention to this subject for 

 above fourteen years ; still it would not do ; how- 

 ever, one night while I was lying in the hammock, 

 and harping on the string on which hung all my 

 solicitude, I hit upon the proper mode by in- 

 ference; it appeared clear to me that it was the 

 only true way of going to work, and ere I closed 

 my eyes in sleep, I was able to prove to myself 

 that there could not be any other way that would 

 answer. I tried it the next day, and succeeded 

 according to expectation. 



By means of this process, which is very simple, 

 we can now give every feature back again to the 

 animal's face, after it has been skinned; and 

 when necessary, stamp grief, or pain, or pleasure, 



