1848.] 
VOYAGE TO THE LAKE. 
97 
We continued our journey thus for several hours, the 
men rowing vigorously, for fear of the tide turning 
against us before we reached our destination : this how- 
ever happened just as we entered a narrower part of 
the stream. The scenery was now much more gloomy; 
the tall trees closed overhead so as keep out every sun- 
beam. The palms twisted and bent in various contor- 
tions, so that we sometimes could hardly pass beneath, 
and sunken logs often lay across from bank to bank, 
compelling us to get out of the canoe, and use all our ex- 
ertions to force it over. Our progress was therefore very 
slow, and the stream was every minute running stronger 
against us. Here was a building-place for various 
aquatic birds : the wood-ibis and numerous cranes and 
herons had their nests on the summits of the lofty trees 
over the water, while lower down was the station chosen 
by the boat-bill. There was a continual rustle and 
flapping of wings as these long-legged, clumsy birds flew 
about, startled at our approach ; and when I shot one of 
the large wood-ibises, the confusion was at its height. 
Numerous kingfishers were continually passing up and 
down, or darting from some dead stick into the water 
to seize their prey. 
After about two hours of very hard and disagreeable 
work, we reached the landing-place, where there wns an 
old deserted cottage, and the overseer and several Ne- 
groes with horses were waiting to convey the provisions 
we had brought, to the Lake. We immediately set off 
on foot over an extensive plain, which was in places com- 
pletely bare, and in others thinly clothed with low trees. 
There could not be a greater contrast than between the 
H 
