214 WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 



entirely to the hammock, placing the foot higher than the 

 knee ; this prevented it from throbbing, and was, indeed, 

 the only position in which I could be at ease. When the 

 inflammation was completely subdued, I applied a wet 

 cloth to the wound, and every now and then steeped the 

 foot in cold water during the day, and at night again ap- 

 plied a poultice. The wound was now healing fast, and in 

 three weeks from the time of the accident, nothing but a 

 scar remained ; so that I again sallied forth sound and 

 joyful, and said to myself — 



" I, pedes quo te rapiunt et aurae 

 Dum favet sol, et locus, i secundo 

 Omine, et conto latebras, ut olim, 



Rumpe ferarum.'' 



Now, this contus was a tough light pole, eight feet long, on 

 the end of which was fixed an old bayonet. I never went 

 into the canoe without it ; it was of great use in starting 

 the beasts and snakes out of the hollow trees, and, in case 

 of need, was an excellent defence. 



In 181i), I had the last conversation with Sir Joseph 

 Banks. I saw with sorrow that death was going to rob us 

 of him. We talked much of the present mode adopted by 

 all museums in stuffing quadrupeds, and condemned it as 

 being very imperfect : still we could not find out a better 

 way ; and at last concluded, that the lips and nose ought 

 to be cut off, and replaced with wax ; it being impossible 

 to 7nake those parts appear like life, as they shrink to 

 nothing, and render the stuffed specimens in the different 

 museums horrible to look at. The defects in the leas and 

 feet would not be quite so glaring, being covered with 

 hair. 



I had paid great attention to this subject for above 

 fourteen years ; still it would not do ; however, one nit^ht 



