386 INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



The rain had ceased, but the wind was still furious, 

 and dead ahead. By the misty light we saw a large 

 bungo, with one sail set, seemingly flying up the river 

 like a phantom. We made the patron haul out from 

 the bank, but we could not keep the river, and, after a 

 few zigzag movements, were shot across to the oppo- 

 site side, where we brought upon us new and more 

 hungry swarms. Here we remained an hour longer, 

 when the wind died away, and we pushed out into the 

 stream. This was a great relief. The senores, though 

 more used to the scourge of moschetoes than we, suf- 

 fered quite as much. The clouds rolled away, the 

 moon broke out, and, but for the abominable insects, 

 our float down the wild and desolate river would have 

 been an event to live in memory ; as it was, not one of 

 us attempted to sleep ; and I verily believe a man could 

 not have passed an entire night on the banks and lived. 



At daylight we were still in the river. Very soon 

 we reached a small lake, and, making a few tacks, en- 

 tered a narrow passage called the Boca Chico, or Lit- 

 tle Mouth. The water was almost even with the banks, 

 and on each side were the most gigantic trees of the 

 tropical forests, their roots naked three or four feet 

 above the ground, gnarled, twisted, and interlacing 

 each other, gray and dead-looking, and holding up, so 

 as to afford an extended view under the first branches, 

 a forest of vivid green. At ten o'clock we passed the 

 Boca Chica and entered the Lake of Terminos. Once 

 more in salt water and stretching out under full sail, on 

 the right we saw only an expanse of water ; on the left 

 was a border of trees with naked roots, which seemed 

 growing out of the water ; and in front, but a little to 

 the left, and barely visible, a long line of trees, marking 

 the island of Carmen, on which stood the town of La- 



