into the boat, and again pulled out. The
boat being light now pulled well, and we made good speed; and at
daylight we were clear of the river, and close to a small island near
the mouth of it. Upon this we agreed to land, to try if we could
procure food, for we were much exhausted, and also to conceal ourselves
from the natives. We ran our little boat on shore, and concealed her
among some bushes which grew down at the water's edge. We looked well
round, but could see nothing, and we then walked out in search of food;
we found some wild plums, which we eagerly devoured; and going down
again to the beach, where there were some rocks, we found shell-fish, of
which we broke the shells between two stones, and made a meal of. After
our hunger was satisfied, we lay down under the shelter of the boat, and
fell fast asleep. We were so tired that we did not wake up till it was
nearly dark, when we agreed to start again, and pull along the coast to
the northward. We were just launching our boat, when we perceived a
canoe about three miles off, steering for the mouth of the river to the
island. This stopped us, and we remained in our hiding-place. The
canoe approached, steering directly for the spot where we lay concealed,
and we imagined that they had discovered us. Such, however, proved not
to be the case, for they ran on shore about fifty yards from us, and,
hauling up the canoe, they got out and walked away on land. There were
four men, but it was now too dark to distinguish any more. We remained
quiet for a quarter of an hour, when I proposed that we should embark.

"Have you ever managed a canoe?" said the Portuguese captain to me.

"I have been in one in Africa very often," I said, "but they are
dug-outs, as we call them."

"So have I, and I do not think there is so difference between them and
these canoes. Can you paddle?"

"Yes," I replied.

"So can I," he said. "Now observe, the best thing we can do is to take
possession of that canoe; and then we shall get on better, for our boat
will always attract notice, whereas a canoe will not; besides, it will
prevent these Indians, if they are come to look for us, which I suspect
they have, from following us."

"I think you are right," I said; "but how shall we manage?"

"In this way. You shall shove off our boat and walk by its side,
dragging it up to where the canoe lies; I will go to the canoe, launch
it, and then we will make off with both till we are to