290 THf] CRUISE OF THE ' CUBAQOA.' 



time I lost it by going up the stream too far ; then tried 

 back some distance and found it again. A native with his 

 spear suddenly coming upon me in the bush, I asked him by 

 signs to show me the way, and that he did by bolting on. I 

 called to him to stop, but I saw nothing of him till some 

 time after. He had a little boy with him, who, when he 

 found he was alone, cried out as long and lustily as he 

 could. About the same time missing my boy, I shouted 

 for him and at last he appeared. When I saw the native 

 again h 3 had been back and picked up his squalling off- 

 spring, who seemed to be horribly afraid of me. On my way 

 I remarked some palms new to me, with fine broad leaves. 

 Many of the stones in the river seemed very green, and 

 there was a good deal of hard whitish stone, which looked 

 like a hard limestone or marble. 



At length I came to the ascent, which was up the water- 

 fall over slippery stones ; then up little falls, but always in 

 the water. I found it not very easy climbing up some of 

 these places with my gun in my hand, and it seemed to me 

 that with bare hard feet one could get over them much 

 easier than with thick boots with round nails in them. 

 Some three or four other natives came up ; I gave them 

 some tobacco, and we went on again together. I kept on 

 rising and rising, and went a considerable way up the 

 stream, Avhich, never easy to ascend, must be nearly im- 

 passable in the rains. I came at last to a nice spot on the 

 stream under a large tree, and there I found some of our 

 officers. The stream was rushing down over the rocks, and 



