Serpent's Mouth. This gulf
separates Trinidad from South America. Trinidad is about 70 miles
from east to west, and nearly 50 from north to south. The most
remarkable phenomenon there is a bituminous lake, situated on the
western coast, near the village of La Brea. It is nearly three miles
in extent, of a circular form, and about 80 feet above the level of
the sea. Small islands, covered with plants and shrubs, are
occasionally observed on this lake, but it is subject to frequent
changes, and the verdant isles often disappear. Trinidad is
important on account of its fertility, its extent, and its
position."

EMMA. "The next bay in our course is the Bay of Oyapok."

MRS. WILTON. "And the next country in our course is Guiana, washed
by the Atlantic. This country is subject to annual inundations. All
the rivers overflow their banks; forests, trees, shrubs, and
parasitical plants seem to float on the water, and the sea tinged
with yellow clay, adds its billows to the fresh-water streams.
Quadrupeds are forced to take refuge on the highest trees: large
lizards, agoutis, and pecaries[12] quit their watery dens and
remain on the branches. Aquatic birds spring upon the trees to avoid
the cayman[13] and serpents that infest the temporary lakes. The
fish forsake their ordinary food, and live on the fruits and berries
of the shrubs through which they swim,--the crab is found upon
trees, and the oyster multiplies in the forest. The Indian, who
surveys from his canoe this new chaos, this confusion of earth and
sea, suspends his hammock on an elevated branch, and sleeps without
fear in the midst of so great danger."

[Footnote 12: Animals similar to the wild boar of Europe, but very
small.]

[Footnote 13: Cayman: a species of alligator.]

GRANDY. "Emma will have more than she can accomplish to-night, if
she wishes to enter all the bays around South America, for no
country in the world is so famous for its enormous gulfs."

MR. WILTON. "Yes; we must make a division for another meeting.
To-night we will sail down to Cape Horn, and sojourn there until the
21st of this month. We could not choose a more favorable time than
March for our visit."

EMMA. "Very well, then, we will merely mention some of these bays,
viz.:--Pinzon, Maripani, Gurupy, Turiassu, Cuma, Paraiba, All
Saints, Camanu, and St. Salvador Bay, near Rio de Janeiro."

MR. WILTON. "Well, Emma, you have certainly manoeuvred well to bring
us over the equator withou