dropped down to the lower one, while the other
advanced as if to meet him. I could see their lances raised, and
presently, at the same moment, they darted them down, when Kallolo
shouted out, "Come on! come on!" and Arthur and I clambered along the
upper branch, and, directed by Kallolo, we dropped the noose of our
ropes, which he and Maco caught and passed round the lower bough,
handing them up to us again. They then told us to move a little further
on, and to draw the ropes tight and secure them. We did as they
desired.

"We got the sloth tight now," observed Kallolo. "Him not go away till
we come back in the morning." We found that the ropes had been passed
under the body of the sloth, which was thus tightly secured to the tree.
After this, we returned to the platform. At daylight we again set off
with Tim and Sambo, to bring down the body of the sloth. It was by this
time quite dead, and had it not been fastened, would probably have
fallen into the water. It was carried to the kitchen on the thick
branch, where it was skinned and cut up; and we now found ourselves in
possession of an ample supply of meat. I cannot say much in favour of
its flesh. It was rather tough and sinewy; but under our circumstances
we were very glad to get it. The only question was how it could be
preserved. The skipper suggested that we should try to smoke our meat.
The operation at first seemed impossible; but under his directions a
large wickerwork basket was formed, which was thickly covered over with
palm-leaves. The meat was hung inside, and the basket was then placed
over the fire, which was well supplied with fresh twigs and leaves. By
continually replenishing the fuel, we kept up an ample volume of smoke,
in which we not only cured sloth meat, but a number of parrots and other
birds, and several fish, which we caught by allowing the log to drift
out into deep water, as far as the cable would admit.

The skipper was very anxious that the whole party should accompany him
on the next trip; and he asked my father to venture on board the log,
assuring him that he and his daughter would be perfectly safe, and that
we should thus be able to push into the interior to a spot where we
might build a vessel, and so avoid the necessity of coming back for him.
My father at length consented, and active preparations were made for
the voyage. Before starting, we had a grand hunt, during which we made
an onslaught on the macaws, which