266 thieves. Chap. X. 



us had a slight touch of fever; between three and four 

 o'clock in the morning some thieves came, while we slept 

 ingloriously — rifles and revolvers all ready, — and relieved 

 us of most of our goods. The boat's sail, under which we 

 slept, was open all around, so the feat was easy. 



Awaking as honest men do, at the usual hour, the loss 

 of one was announced by " My bag is gone — with all my 

 clothes ; and my boots too ! " " And mine ! " responded a 

 second. " And mine also ! " chimed in the third, " with 

 the bag of beads, and the rice ! " " Is the cloth taken ? " 

 was the eager inquiry, as that would have been equivalent 

 to all our money. It had been used for a pillow that 

 night, and thus saved. The rogues left on the beach, 

 close to our beds, the Aneroid Barometer and a pair of 

 boots, thinking possibly that they might be of use to us, 

 or, at least, that they could be of none to them. They 

 shoved back some dried plants and fishes into one bag, but 

 carried off many other specimens we had collected ; some 

 of our notes also, and nearly all our clothing. 



We could not suspect the people of the village near 

 which we lay. We had probably been followed for days 

 by the thieves watching for an opportunity. And our 

 suspicions fell on some persons who had come from the 

 East Coast; but having no evidence, and expecting to 

 hear if our goods were exposed for sale in the vicinity, we 

 made no fuss about it, and began to make new clothing. 

 That our rifles and revolvers were left untouched was 

 greatly to our advantage : yet we felt it was most 

 humiliating for armed men to have been so thoroughly 

 fleeced by a few black rascals. 



Some of the best fisheries appear to be private property. 

 We found shelter from a storm one morning in a spacious 

 lagoon, which communicated with the lake by a narrow 

 passage. Across this strait stakes were driven in, leaving 

 only spaces for the basket fish-traps. A score of men were 



