166 
LOVELY EVENING. 
the most daring, who crept into the reeds, with their spears 
shipped to throw at us. I, therefore, took up my gun to 
return their salute. It then appeared that they were per- 
fectly aware of the weapon I carried, for the moment they 
saw it, they dashed out of their hiding place and retreated 
to the main body ; but the old man, after saying something 
to them, walked steadily on, and I, on my part, laid my fire- 
lock down again. 
It was now near sunset ; and one of the most lovely 
evenings I had ever seen. The sun’s radiance was yet 
upon the mountains, but all lower objects were in 
shade. The banks of the channel, with the trees and the 
rocks, were reflected in the tranquil waters, whose surface 
was unruffled save by the thousands of wild fowl that rose 
before us, and made a noise as of a multitude clapping 
hands, in their clumsy efforts to rise from the waters. 
Not one of them allowed us to get within shot. 
We proceeded about a mile below the hill on which the 
natives were posted; some few still following us with vio- 
lent threats. We landed, however, on a flat, bounded all 
round by the continuation of the hills. It was an admirable 
position, for, in the centre of it, we could not be taken by 
surprise, and, on the other hand, we gave the natives an 
opportunity of communicating with us if they would. The 
full moon rose as we were forming the camp, and, notwith- 
standing our vicinity to so noisy a host, the silence of death 
was around us, or the stillness of the night was only broken 
by the roar of the ocean, now too near to be mistaken for 
