42 
GUATEMALA. 
of the Saguenay; for the savage cliffs of the wild Cana¬ 
dian stream are here replaced by white limestone preci¬ 
pices jealously covered with palms and vines, until only 
here and there could the rock be seen under or through 
its richly colored mantle. The river is deep, in places 
eighteen fathoms, and, except in the overhanging trees, 
there was no place to land on either side for some 
distance. 
Frank shot at a fine pelican, but only broke a wing; 
and although he pursued the wounded bird rapidly in a 
little cayuco that we had in tow, he did not gain on the 
powerful swimmer until a shot from the “ Progreso ” 
killed the fugitive, whose remains measured seven feet 
across the wings. Other birds tempted us, but the fast- 
waning daylight warned us against delay; and as dark¬ 
ness fell upon us with tropical rapidity, we came to the 
lake-like Golfete, nine miles from Livingston, and an¬ 
chored for the night off Cayo Paloma (Dove Island), the 
only inhabited spot on the river. Our crew went ashore 
for shelter, and we retired under our substantial awning, 
which protected us from the rain wdiich fell in torrents 
during the night. We had found no mosquitoes at Liv¬ 
ingston, and there were none here; so our sleep was not 
broken until our boys came on board before daybreak. 
Where we had entered this beautiful lake we strangers 
did not know; and even when the direction was ascer¬ 
tained, the opening of the river was invisible. Coconut- 
palms and bananas will give a charm to any landscape; 
yet the little Cayo Paloma hardly needed them, so 
beautiful was it in itself. 
Grand San Gil brushed the clouds from his forehead 
and looked down smilingly upon us in promise of a 
