but again we went on, Arthur leading the way. He had a large
sheath-knife, which Sambo the black had lent him, secured to his waist.

The tree we had reached was of great age, and was full of holes and
numerous hollow stumps of boughs broken off by tempests or lightning.
In each of these hollows was a large nest with a couple of fledgelings;
but no sooner did Arthur and I stretch out our hands to seize some of
the young birds, intending to transfer them to the bags which we carried
at our backs, than the old birds sitting on the branches above us set up
a deafening screaming and screeching, while others appeared from all
quarters. Some flew across, as it seemed, from the opposite forest;
others came forth from various parts of the surrounding foliage, by
which they had been concealed, with the evident intention of doing
battle for their young. Down they flew, screaming loudly, with open
beaks and fierce eyes, and surrounded us on all sides; some assailing
our heads, and some our bare legs and feet, while others got hold of our
shirts and pulled lustily at them. It was only with the greatest
difficulty that we could defend our eyes, which they seemed resolved to
tear out.

"Leap, Guy--leap into the water; that is the only chance we have of
saving ourselves!" exclaimed Arthur, drawing his knife and attempting to
keep the savage birds at bay. I had no weapon to defend myself with,
so, following his advice, I leaped down to a part of the tree whence I
could spring into the water, and putting my hands above my head, plunged
into the turbid flood, diving down some feet, regardless of the risk I
ran of striking any concealed boughs beneath the surface. Escaping
injury, I quickly rose again, in time to hear Arthur's plunge as he
followed me. The macaws darted down upon us; but as we again dived,
they flew up--to ascertain, we supposed, whether we had plundered their
nests. Happily, the current not being very strong, we were able to stem
it, and make good way, till we reached the main part of the grove,
where, getting hold of some sepos which hung down into the water, we
clambered up again to a branch, on which we were glad to rest after our
exertions, having escaped a danger which might have been of a very
serious nature. We agreed, however, that should we be pressed for food,
we would, notwithstanding, make another attack on the "macawery," to
coin a word, and carry off some of the young birds. We found that we
had