248 CENTRAL AMERICA. 



they may do." On their coming within hail, 

 they cried out " Inglese?" and on the patron 

 shaking his head, and answering " No," they 

 laid down their arms and came alongside. 

 They were all naked, except a very slight 

 covering round the loins, and w r ere of a much 

 lighter hue than any Indian I had ever seen 

 before. They were more of a yellow brown ; 

 and the two young men who were fishing and 

 paddling were well made, but rather fat; 

 the third, a very old man, and who was 

 steering with a paddle, was the most extra- 

 ordinary-looking being I ever met with. His 

 long white hair reached his waist, and covered 

 his breast and shoulders, but his skin looked 

 more like an alligator's back than that of a 

 human being, and was of various colours. 

 We gave them something to eat, and I then 

 gave them some cigars, which they all enjoyed 

 very much; before we started, however, I 

 pointed to myself, saying Inglese, giving them 

 to understand I was an Englishman. Their 

 sudden alarm was excessive, for they sprung 

 to their paddles, and hurried off with the 

 greatest speed. 



I tried to get at the story of these Cari- 

 bees, and how they had got to that part of 

 the world ; and partly from our patron, but 



