THIRD JOUUNEY. 



CHAPTER I 



" Desertosque videre locos, littusque relictum." 



From the Clyde to Demerara. — Yellow fever. — A deserted Plantation. — 

 Black John. — Medicines for tropical climates. — Bats. — The Lancet. — 

 Severe accident and recovery. — A primitive Spear. — History of the 

 Sloth — an inhabitant of the trees — -structure of the limbs. — A 

 domesticated Sloth — a life of suspense — structure of the hair — 

 mark on the back. — Capture of a Sloth. —Release and escape. — Ants. 

 Ant-bears. — The great Ant-bear — its powers of defence — attitude when 

 standing — ^how it catches its prey. — Glutinous saliva. — The Vampire 

 and its habits. — Bleeding gratis. — Coushie Ants. — Armadillo and its 

 habits. — Tortoise. — Eggs of Tortoise and Turtle. 



Gentle reader, after staying a few months in England, I 

 strayed across the Alps and the Apennines, and returned 

 home, but could not tarry. Guiana still whispered in my 

 ear, and seemed to invite me once more to wander through 

 her distant forests. 



Shouldst thou have a leisure hour to read what follows, 

 I pray thee pardon the frequent use of that unwelcome 

 monosyllable /. It could not well be avoided, as will be 

 seen in the sequel. In February, 1820, 1 sailed from the 

 Clyde, on board the Glenhervie, a fine West-Indiaman. 

 She was driven to the north-west of Ireland, and had to 

 contend with a foul and wintry wind for above a fortnight 



