SOUTH AMERICA. 



47 



the Tacatou was seen the Troupiale. It was charming to First 



Journey, 



hear the sweet and plamtive notes of this pretty songster 



of the wilds. The Portuguese call it the nightingale of 

 Guiana. 



Towards the close of the fourth evening, the canoe, Message 



from the 



which had been sent on with a letter, met us with the Portuguese 



commander, 



commander's answer. During its absence, the nights 

 had been cold and stormy, the rain had fallen in tor- 

 rents, the days cloudy, and there was no sun to dry the 

 wet hammocks. Exposed thus, day and night, to the 

 chilling blast and pelting shower, strength of constitution 

 at last failed, and a severe fever came on. The com- 

 mander's answer was very polite. Jle remarked, he 

 regretted much to say, that he had received orders to 

 allow no stranger to enter the frontier, and this being 

 the case, he hoped I would not consider him as uncivil : 

 however, continued he, I have ordered the soldier to 

 land you at a certain distance from the fort, where we 

 can consult together. 



We had now arrived at the place, and the canoe which 

 brought the letter returned to the fort, to tell the 

 commander I had fallen sick. 



The sun had not risen above an hour the morning after, 

 when the Portuguese officer came to the spot where Ave 

 had landed the preceding evening. He was tall and 

 spare, and appeared to be from fifty to fifty-five years 

 old ; and though thirty years of service under an equa- 



