SOUTH AMERICA. 219 

 began to move. The moon shone so bright, that we Third 



Journey, 



could distmctly see him open his huge jaws, and take in 



the bait. We pulled the rope. He immediately let drop 

 the bait ; and then we saw his black head retreating from 

 the board, to the distance of a few yards ; and there it 

 remained 'quite motionless. 



He did not seem inclined to advance again ; and so we 

 finished our supper. In about an hour's time he again 

 put himself in motion, and took hold of the bait. But, 

 probably, suspecting that he had to deal with knaves 

 and cheats, he held it in his month, but did not swallow 

 it. We pulled the rope again, but with no better success 

 than the first time. 



He retreated as usual, and came back again in about 

 an hour. We paid him every attention till three o'clock 

 in the morning ; when, worn out with disappointment, we 

 went to the hammocks, turned in, and fell asleep. 



When day broke, we found that he had contrived to 

 get the bait from the hook, though we had tied it on 

 with string. We had now no more hopes of taking a 

 Cayman, till the return of night. The Indian took off 

 into the woods, and brought back a noble supply of 

 game. The rest of us went into the canoe, and pro- 

 ceeded up the river to shoot fish. We got even more than 

 we could use. 



As we approached the shallows, we could see the large 

 Sting-rays moving at the bottom. The coloured man 



2 F 2 



