48 WANDERINGS IN 



FIRST down these rivers. It is an open country, pro- 



JOURNEY. f 



ducing a coarse grass, and interspersed with 



clumps of trees. The banks 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. 



Message Towards the close of the fourth evening, the 



from the . 1*1111 i i 



Portuguese 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 re- 

 marked, 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 



