290 
THE TROPIC BIRD. 
bers, all feeding on the crabs which swarmed 
throughout the mud-flat. At a considerable dis- 
tance from us, and far beyond the reach of shot, 
we counted above five hundred flamingoes^ which 
were ranged in a straight line, putting us in mind 
of a file of soldiers in the scarlet uniform. 
There could scarcely have been a more un- 
favourable time for an expedition to the Grand 
Connetable, as the spring tides had already set in. 
The turbulence and angry aspect of the returning 
evening tide showed us the folly and danger of i 
proceeding onwards. Wherefore I reluctantly aban- \ 
doned the idea of visiting the stupendous rock ; and \ 
we took advantage of the tide of flood to regain the 
town of Cayenne, which we reached after another j 
night of hardship, in a worse condition than when i 
we first set out. f 
Exposure to the pelting rain on the preceding 
night had brought on an inflammation of the oeso- 
phagus, a complaint which I had never known 
before. The act of deglutition became so exceed- , 
ingly painful, that I was obliged to live on bread | 
soaked in tea for three succeeding days ; and even 
with this light food I barely escaped from using i 
the lancet. ! 
I now gave up all thoughts of procuring the I 
tropic bird, as I could not wait at Cayenne for the | 
period of neap tides, there being an American 
brig just on the point of weighing anchor for Pa- ' 
ramaribo, the capital of Surinam ; and I did not , 
wish to lose the opportunity, knowing that oppoi-. 
