FIREFLIES. 
253 
for a lodging further up the river. The men were 
tired, having pulled all day without resting, we 
were therefore unwilling, by pushing them too hard 
on the first day, to weaken them for the second ; 
King Bell, however, settled the matter, by assuring 
us there was no town witliin two hours’ pull able to 
alFord us decent accommodation. We accordingly 
turned back, and glided rapidly down with the current 
to Bona-pia, where we were received by King Bell 
and his friends, amid a storm of unintelligible 
welcome. 
After the long confinement in a cramped position in 
the boat we were glad to land; and having provided 
ourselves with such necessaries from our stores as 
might conduce in some degree to our comfort — where 
so little was to be expected — we began our march 
along a well-beaten path, at first rising abruptly from 
the bank of the river, and afterwards preserving a 
gradual ascent for about half a mile. The dew fell 
heavily, yet, fatigued as we were, we could not but 
enjoy the gratification of stretching our limbs on terrd 
firma. 
Overhead flitted innumerable fireflies, and every 
bush was illuminated by their brilliant coruscations. 
A few straggling roots across the path, which caused 
us now and then to stumble, were the only obstacles 
to our progress ; and an easy M’alk of less than half 
an hour, brought us to the residence of the chief, or 
“ gentleman,” of Andamako. An immense concourse 
