THE BORDER OF THE GLADES 



of a rifle and then by the rays from a lantern 

 shining through the trees where the Irene lay at 

 anchor. 



On our second day at the head of the river we 

 followed labyrinthic streams that turned and 

 twisted through narrow channels, darkened by 

 overhanging branches or broadened into open 

 lagoons, carpeted and choked by great lily pads. 

 Coming to a heavy growth of this kind, through 

 which we could force the canoe only a few inches 

 at a stroke, I thought to wade and drag the 

 canoe. Thrusting my paddle downward to ex- 

 plore the bottom, I could find none, though to 

 blade and handle I added the full length of my 

 arm. But a commotion was created beneath the 

 canoe and the big leaves about us dipped under 

 the surface, while rising bubbles and water that 

 boiled around our craft told of a monster disport- 

 ing among the roots of the lilies. Soon the line 

 of disturbance led from us in a broad pathway of 

 swirling leaves and agitated water that stretched 

 out until a turn in the lagoon shut it from our 

 sight. 



We thought to revisit a long-abandoned In- 

 dian camp, with the site of which we were fam- 



175 



