feet in length, but weighing generally
about seven or eight pounds. The Indians used to bring them down in
boats, alive, on their backs, with their legs tied behind them; so
that they had the most comical look of distress it is possible to
imagine. The Spanish Indians have a proverb referring to an iguana so
bound, the purport of which has slipped from my memory, but which
shows the habit to be an old one. Their eggs are highly prized, and
their captors have a cruel habit of extracting these delicacies from
them while alive, and roughly sewing up the wound, which I never could
muster sufficient courage to witness.

The rivers near Escribanos were well stocked with crocodiles, the sea
had its fair share of sharks, while on land you too often met with
snakes and other venomous reptiles. The sting of some of them was very
dangerous. One man, who was bitten when I was there, swelled to an
enormous size, and bled even at the roots of his hair. The remedy of
the natives appeared to be copious bleeding.

Before I left Escribanos I made a journey, in company with a gentleman
named Little, my maid, and the alcalde's daughter, into the interior
of the country, for a short distance, following the course of the
Palmilla river. This was for the purpose of prospecting a mine on that
river, said to be obtainable at an easy price. Its course was a very
winding one; and we often had to leave the canoe and walk through the
shallow waters, that every now and then interfered with our progress.
As we progressed, Little carefully sounded the channel of the river,
with the view of ascertaining to what extent it was navigable.

The tropical scenery was very grand; but I am afraid I only marked
what was most curious in it--at least, that is foremost in my memory
now. I know I wondered much what motive Nature could have had in
twisting the roots and branches of the trees into such strange
fantastic contortions. I watched with unfailing interest the birds and
animals we disturbed in our progress, from the huge peccary or wild
boar, that went tearing through the brushwood, to the tiniest
bright-hued bird that dashed like a flash of many-coloured fire before
our eyes. And very much surprised was I when the Indians stopped
before a large tree, and on their making an incision in the bark with
a matcheto (hatchet), there exuded a thick creamy liquid, which they
wished me to taste, saying that this was the famous milk-tree. I
needed some persuasion