186 



SCENERY OF THE APCRE. 



Midnight 

 storm. 



Weather. 



Scenery of 

 the Ap'iire. 



CHAP. XVI. found reason, however, to regret that they had not ob- 

 tained better shelter ; for after midnight a thunder-storm 

 came on, which wetted tliem to the skin. Donna Isa- 

 bella's cat had perched on one of the trees, and fell into 

 a cot, tlie inmate of which imagined he was attacked by 

 some wild beast, and could hardly be quieted. 



At sunrise the lodgers took leave of Don Ignacio and 

 his lady, and proceeded on their voyage. The weather 

 was a little cooler, tlie thermometer having fallen from 

 86° to 75*^ ; but the temperature of the river continued 

 at 79° or 80°. One might imagine that on smooth 

 ground, where no eminence can be distinguished, the 

 stream would have hollowed out an even bed for itself ; 

 but this is by no means the case ; the two banks not 

 opposing equal resistance to the water. Below the 

 Joval the mass of the current is a little wider, and 

 forms a perfectly straight channel, margined on either 

 side by lofty trees. It was here about 290 yards broad. 

 They passed a low island densely covered by flamingoes, 

 roseate spoonbills, herons, and water-hens, which pre- 

 sented a most divei-sified mixture of colours. On the 

 right bank they found a little Indian mission, consisting 

 of sixteen huts constructed of palm-leaves, and inhabited 

 by a tribe of the Guamoes. These Christians were 

 unable to furnish them with the provisions which they 

 wanted, Imt hospitably offered them dried fish and 

 water. The night was spent on a bare and very exten- 

 sive beach. The forest being impenetrable, they had 

 great difficulty in obtaining dry wood to light fires for 

 the purpose of keeping off the wild beasts. But the 

 night was calm, witli beautiful moonlight. Finding no 

 tree on the banks, they stuck their oars in the sand, 

 and suspended their hammocks upon them. About 

 eleven there arose in the wood so terrific a noise that it 

 was imjjossible to sleep. The Indians distinguished the 

 cries of sapajous, alouates, jaguars, cougars, pecaris, 

 Bloths, curassows, parraquas, and other gallinaceous 

 birds. When the tigers approached the edge of the 

 forest, a dog which the travellers had, began to howl 



Bivouac on 

 the shore. 



