ADVENTURES AND INCIDENTS. 405 



entire day of calm in these forests. The trade-wind gen- 

 erally sets in about ten o'clock in the morning, and thus 

 the sloth may set off after breakfast, and get a considerable 

 way before dinner. He travels at a good round pace ; and 

 were you to see him pass from tree to tree, as I have done, 

 you would never think of calling him a sloth. 



11. Thus it would appear that the different histories we 

 have of this cpiadruped are erroneous on two accounts : 

 first, that the writers of them, deterred by difficulties and 

 local annoyances, have not paid sufficient attention to him 

 in his native haunts ; and, secondly, they have described 

 him in a situation in which he was never intended by na- 

 ture to cut a figure — I mean on the ground. The sloth is 

 as much at a loss to proceed on his journey upon a smooth 

 and level floor as a man would be who had to walk a mile 

 on stilts upon a line of feather-beds. 



12. One day, as we were crossing the Essecpiibo, I saw 

 a large two- toed sloth on the ground upon the bank ; how 

 he had got there nobody could tell. The Indian said he 

 had never surprised a sloth in such a situation before ; he 

 would hardly have come there to drink, for both above and 

 below the place the branches of the trees touched the 

 water, and afforded him an easy and safe access to it. Bo 

 this as it may, though the trees were not above twenty 

 yards from him, he could not make his way through the 

 sand time enough to escape before we landed. As soon 

 as we got up to him he threw himself upon his back, and 

 defended himself in gallant style with his fore legs. " Come, 

 poor fellow ! " said I to him ; " if thou hast got into a hobble 

 to-day, thou shalt not suffer for it. I'll take no advantage 

 of thee in misfortune ; the forest is large enough both for 

 thee and me to rove in ; go thy ways up above, and enjoy 

 thyself in these endless wilds. It is more than probable 

 thou wilt never have another interview with man. So fare 

 thee well." 



