a dark brown colour on the
back, a dirty white underneath, long, reddish legs, and rather a long,
pointed bill; it was shaped like a heron. We had been rowing about an hour
when we entered the lagoon, which was about a mile long and three-quarters
of a mile wide. The country to some extent was low, and covered with
mangrove trees, whose branches take root when they touch the ground, and
one tree forms a number of irregular arches. Those nearest the water are
covered with a profusion of small oysters, which are taken by the natives
and pickled with spice and vinegar, and sold in small jars. They are
considered good eating. We observed several large ants' nests formed on
the branches of these trees; they were about the size of a bushel measure.
The insect is half an inch in length; its bite is severe, but not very
venomous. We could only make good our landing at one spot, covered with
long, coarse grass, which the natives twist into ropes for the rigging of
their canoes, and the finest of it they clean, stain with different
colours, and fabricate into hammocks, which are made like a net with large
meshes.

I had strolled from the boat with one of the men, when he called out,
"There goes a large water-snake! Take care, sir!" It came close to me,
when I made a stroke at it with my hanger. I struck it on the body, but
not sufficiently, for before I had time to give it another blow, it had
wound into a kind of jungle, and I lost sight of it. It was about five
feet long, speckled yellow and black; its tongue, which it kept in
continual motion, was forked; its eyes were small, and not projecting.
Finding myself in company with gentry of this description, I retraced my
steps to the boat, where I found the whole party with their hands and
mouths in full activity. I soon was as well employed as themselves. The
lieutenant told me whilst we were at dinner that one of the men had found
some alligators' eggs; two of them were broken and the young ones alive.
They were about half-a-foot long, of a dirty brown. The eggs were oblong,
and larger than a swan's, of a brownish-white colour.

The evening was now drawing on, when we pulled the boat to the middle of
the lagoon and let go the grapnel for the night. One of the boat's crew,
who sung in the style of Incledon, entertained us with several sea songs
until we fell asleep, which was not, however, very refreshing, in
consequence of the multitudes of mosquitoes. I positively believe some