y places the
appearance of an extensive lake, with forest trees growing out of the
water; and travellers may proceed many hundreds of miles in their canoes
without once entering the main stream of the river. At this time the
natives become almost aquatic animals. Several tribes of Indians
inhabit the Gapo; such as the Purupurus, Muras, and others. They build
small movable huts on the sandy shores during the dry season, and on
rafts in the wet. They subsist on turtle, cow-fish, and the other fish
with which the river abounds, and live almost entirely in their canoes;
while at night they frequently sling their hammocks between the branches
of trees, and sleep suspended over the deep water.

Some of the animals found in the Gapo are peculiar to it, being
attracted by the fruit-trees which are found growing only there. The
Indians assert that every tree that grows in the Gapo is distinct from
all those that grow in other districts; and when we consider that these
trees are submerged for six months every year, till they are tall enough
to rise above the highest water-level, we may well believe their
constitution is somewhat different from those that are reared on
ordinary ground. The Indians are wonderfully expert in finding their
way among the trackless mazes of the Gapo, being guided by the broken
twigs and scraped bark that indicate the route followed by previous
travellers.

Owing to this sudden commencement of the rainy season, the old trader
resolved to return to a small village, and there spend several months.
Martin and Barney were much annoyed at this; for the former was
impatient to penetrate further into the interior, and the latter had
firmly made up his mind to visit the diamond mines, about which he
entertained the most extravagant notions. He did not, indeed, know in
the least how to get to these mines, nor even in which direction they
lay; but he had a strong impression that as long as he continued
travelling he was approaching gradually nearer to them, and he had no
doubt whatever that he would get to them at last. It was, therefore,
with no small degree of impatience that they awaited the pleasure of
their sable master, who explained to them that when the waters reached
their height he would proceed.

Everything comes to an end, even a long story. After many weeks had
passed slowly by, their sojourn in this village came to an end too. It
was a dull place, very dull, and they had nothing to do;