A Collecting Trip on the Abary. 361 
feature of the trip to note the interest taken by the men 
in procuring specimens, and in aiding to skin them 
when possible, and in keeping them well exposed to the 
swn in order to dry them thoroughly. Doubtless the 
explanation of this was to be found in the fact that 
different members of the SEARS family and their friends 
made up the crew ; and imbued as these men are with a 
keen appreciation of hunting, and with a reputation that 
is by no means local, their interest found expression not 
only in procuring specimens, but also in their later 
preparation. Certainly no crew could have been more 
useful, though, without any doubt, an Indian crew would 
have been more quiet on more than one occasion. 
The first night's camping in the open air without any 
shelter beyond the sparse foliage of the trees which 
allowed clear visions of the sky, was by no means un- 
pleasant. The weather was as fine as could have been 
desired, as was the case throughout the whole trip ; 
though at times, as on this night, heavy masses of black 
clouds, piled upon each other, seemed threatening to break 
the record. Vivid and frequent flashes of lightning in the 
western sky cast a fitful halo on the deepening gloom, 
rendered more sombre by the contrast with a horizon 
of fire raging in the distance on the wide savannah. 
Full-voiced music, at times a plaintive negro melody, at 
others a solemn chant or hymn, rang forth with pleasing 
cadence from the men as they lay rolled in their bags or 
matting on the ground, happy after a heavy meal of water- 
haas; until, unmindful of the blood-suckingbats which were 
said to be very plentiful along the creek, they one by one 
succumbed to sleep, undisturbed by mosquitoes, of which 
fortunately they were none — an exemption that was 
