ADMIRABLE LEECHES. 
95 
heavy trees spread their densely-leaved branches over it, 
and shut out the sun even from its centre. It was not 
more than a hundred yards in circumference, and its 
waters were singularly clear and limpid. It was one of 
the most beautiful little natural basins that I ever saw. 
It looked so cool and inviting that we took off our heavy 
boots and waded into it up to our knees. Singular to 
say, the water was very warm, and we soon found it to be 
swarming with leeches ; — a most admirable specimen of 
leech, too, if we might judge from the activity with 
which they attacked us. AYe got to the beach in a very 
few strides, and pulled them off from our bleeding feet: 
they had cut through the skin at the first bite. My 
journal goes on to say: — ■ 
‘‘It still wanted a half-hour of sunset when we got 
back to the boat, and, finding but one man returned, we 
rolled back on the grass to let the time pass. The men 
came in slowdy, in fours, in threes, never less than in 
pairs. Two wei'C yet missing, and it was already dusk. 
AVe waited until dark, and then began to tremble for 
their safety. The last three men who had come in now 
spoke up, saying that they had left them on the other 
beach some three hours back, and that they were still 
walking away from the boat when they themselves had 
struck through the jungle, to return by a shorter cut, as 
they imagined: that was all they knew about them. 
They themselves, having got lost in the bushes, had 
climbed a high rock to sight the beach if possible, and 
while there had fired a gun in hopes that some one 
would answ^er them. Their gun had no sooner exploded 
ttian an awful roar had burst out near them, causing a 
