STRAXGE SOUNDS. 145 



the trees the cries of the large animals. They 

 awaken the birds that live in society, and by de- 

 grees the whole assembly is in movement. We 

 shall soon find that it is not always in a fine moon- 

 light, but more particularly at the time of a storm 

 and violent showers, that this tumult takes place 

 among the wild beasts. ' May Heaven grant them 

 a quiet night and repose, and us also!' said the 

 monk who accompanied us to the Rio Negro, when, 

 sinking with fatigue, he assisted in arranging our 

 accommodations for the night. It was indeed a 

 strange situation, to find no silence in the solitude 

 of woods. In the inns of Spain we dread the sharp 

 sounds of guitars from the next apartment ; in 

 those of the Oroonoko, which are an open beach, 

 or the shelter of a solitary tree, we are afraid of 

 being disturbed in our sleep by voices issuing from 

 the forest." 



Immediately succeeding this night-scene we 

 have a striking account of the perils encountered 

 by our travellers during the day-time : " We 

 stopped at noon in a desert spot, where I left my 

 companions while they drew the boat to land, and 

 were occupied in preparing our dinner. I went 

 along the beach to observe nearer a group of croco- 

 diles sleeping in the sun, and placed in such a 

 manner as to have their tails, furnished with broad 

 plates, resting on one another. Some little herons, 



