AFTER THE HURRICANE. 231 



is sufficient to unloose the same, except by little and 

 little, he drawing the line, it be lifted above the brim 

 of the water, where it immediately letteth go its 

 hold." 



I don't know how many fish we might have caught, 

 but as it was I had the pleasure of gloating over two 

 sharks, three barracoutas, four Jew and angel fishes, 

 and several brilliantly- colored parrot fish, after we 

 reached the shore, besides a turtle of goodly size. 



While Thomas Ned was cleaning the fish, after we 

 had gone ashore, I wandered down the beach with 

 my gun and butterfly net through the thicket of sea 

 grapes, where, among the racemes of creamy flowers, 

 I often found many birds, attracted by their honey 

 and the hovering insects. The flrst bird I shot 

 there was a black and yellow "sugar-eater," which 

 fell into a dense cluster of sea grapes. As another 

 bird attracted me just then, I departed in pursuit of 

 it, merely pausing long enough to note where the first 

 had fallen. 



"When I returned, a few minutes later, I could 

 not find it ; but as I was peering through the leaves, 

 which cast a flickering shade on the snowy sands, I 

 saw a large lizard, with one foot raised, intently watch- 

 ing me. Looking closely I saw that he had appro- 

 priated the bird I had shot, had stripped it of its 

 feathers, and was hastily devouring it when I had 

 appeared. 



A tuft of feathers stuck to his nose, which he 

 vainly endeavored to scratch off with the claws of 

 one foot, at the same time eying me suspiciously, as 



