WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 123 



have some wood on them, but it appears stinted and 

 crooked, like that on the bleak hills in England. 



The Tapir frequently plunged into the river ; he was by 

 no means shy, and it was easy to get a shot at him on 

 land. The Kessi-kessi paroquets were in great abundance ; 

 and the fine scarlet Aras innumerable in the coucourite- 

 trees at a distance from the river's bank. In the Tacatou 

 was seen the Troupiale. It was charming to hear 

 the sweet and plaintive notes of this pretty songster of 

 the wilds. The Portuguese call it the Nightingale of 

 Guiana. 



Towards the close of the fourth evening, the canoe, 

 which had been sent on with a letter, met us with the 

 commander's answer. During its absence, the nights had 

 been cold and stormy, the rain had fallen in torrents, 

 the days cloudy, and there was no sun to dry the wet 

 hammocks. Exposed thus, day and night, to the chilling 

 blast and pelting shower, strength of constitution at last 

 failed, and a severe fever came on. The commander's 

 answer was very polite. He remarked, he regretted much 

 to say, that he had received orders to allow no stranger to 

 enter the frontier, and this being the case, he hoped I 

 would not consider him as uncivil : "however," continued 

 he, " I have ordered the soldier to land you at a certain 

 distance from the fort, where we can consult together." 



We had now arrived at the place, and the canoe which 

 brought the letter returned to the fort, to tell the com- 

 mander I had fallen sick. 



The sun had not risen above an hour the morning after 

 when the Portuguese officer carne to the spot where we 

 had landed the preceding evening. He was tall and 

 spare, and appeared to be from fifty to fifty-five years old ; 

 and though thirty years of service under an equatorial sun 

 had burnt and shrivelled up his face, still there was some- 



