82 Travels and Adventures 



in the Republic of Colombia. Messrs. Lopez and 

 Navarro, besides owning most of the canoes on the 

 river, also have several small steam-launches, which 

 ply on the Lebrija to a place called Estacion Santander. 

 I took passage as far as the steamboat went, and 

 we left Bodega Central at four a.m. in the little 

 launch called La Primera. We steamed across the 

 Magdalena and entered the mouth of the Lebrija, 

 daylight coming about half-past five, and with it a 

 sight of more natural beauty than I had seen before. 

 I greatly enjoyed the wild magnificence of the forest 

 and the enormous timber-trees festooned with such 

 a profusion of gorgeous, flowering creepers, supple- 

 mented by thickets of graceful palms and bamboos. 

 The banks of the river are intersected at intervals 

 by small streams, which drain the adjoining forest 

 and sluggishly empty themselves into the main river. 

 At each of these outlets a sight presents itself which 

 would enchant the most stoical naturalist. Several 

 huge alligators lounge lazily in the soft mud. As 

 far as the eye can reach up the creek, crowds of 

 ducks are actually huddled together, each one brushing 

 his neighbour to get fishing-room. The principal 

 species is called by the Colombians El Pato Rea/ y 

 or Royal Duck — a wild muscovy, weighing some- 

 times from eight to ten pounds ; colour, a greenish 

 black, with white patches on the wings. Another,, 



