of an Orchid I / r.\ ter. j i 



the most primitive construction, stocked with a few 

 calabashes, sloth and tiger-cat skins, and blocks of 

 wood. The proprietor of the hut, an old hunter, 

 showed himself extremely friendly, and immediately 

 offered us part of the provision nearest to hand, being- 

 some cassava roots, bananas, and bread made of Indian 

 corn ground between two stones. Here we passed the 

 night, the whole of next day, and the following night 

 as guests of the kindly native, being obliged to make 

 this delay on account of a terrific thunderstorm and 

 heavy rain, which continued to fall all day. As the 

 forest dried up somewhat in the night, early next 

 morning we prepared ourselves again for the journey ; 

 but as the provisions which we had brought with 

 us were all exhausted and we could buy nothing 

 more here, we left somewhat depending on the 

 chance of meeting some stray wild pig or any- 

 thing else which mi^ht come within rancre of our 

 ofuns. From the hut which we left in the morning 

 to the next hut in the forest was a distance of 

 twenty-four miles, and there it was not certain that 

 we should meet with any inhabitants. We continued 

 along the track with much the same surroundings 

 as formerly up to mid- day, and as we had seen 

 nothing to shoot but some monkeys, we were re- 

 duced to the necessity of making our lunch off 

 some pine-apples and other fruits, which are plentiful 



