ehind the trees when a deep gloom pervaded
the surrounding atmosphere; and from a distance came the most fearful
howlings, echoing through the forest.

"Oh, surely the savages are upon us," I could not help exclaiming.

"No, Massa Guy, no fear of that," answered Kallolo. "Dey only howling
monkeys, which are shouting to each oder from de top branches of de
trees, asking each oder how dem are dis fine ebening."

After this assurance, the other noises which came out of the forest did
not create so much feeling of alarm. I knew they were only the cries of
animals or birds or insects, all of which were adding their voices to
the wild, and certainly not harmonious, concert. Flocks of parrots and
blue macaws flew overhead, the different kinds of cawing and screaming
of the various species making a terrible discord. Then arose the
strangely sounding call of the cicada, or cricket, one of the largest
kind, perched high on the trees, setting up a most piercing chirp. It
began with the usual harsh jarring tone of its tribe, rapidly becoming
shriller, until it ended in a long and loud whistling note.
Comparatively small as are these wonderful performers, their voices made
a considerable item in the evening concert. Before they had ceased, the
tree-frogs chimed in with their "Quack, quack! drum, drum! hoo, hoo!"
accompanied by melancholy nightjars, which for long kept up their
monotonous cries.

While we were seated, the whole air above our heads suddenly became
bright and glaring with lights of various hues; now darting here, now
there; now for a moment obscured only to burst forth again with greater
brilliancy. These beautiful lights were caused by fireflies and
fire-beetles. The lights of the former were red, and bright as those of
the brightest candle; and being alternately emitted and concealed, each
of the tiny flames performing its own part in the mazy dance, they
produced a singularly beautiful spectacle. The fireflies, however,
disappeared shortly afterwards, when a number of large beetles, called
elaters, took their place, displaying both red and green lights. The
red glare, like that of a lamp, alternately flashed and vanished, as the
insect turned its body in flight; and now and then a green light was
displayed. The mingling of the two colours, red and green, in the
evolutions of flight totally surpasses my power of description. We
caught several, and had we possessed an uncoloured glass bottle we might
h