ave made a lantern which would have afforded us sufficient light to
work by. Even through the thick glass of a schiedam bottle a strong
light was emitted, but scarcely sufficient for our purpose, though it
enabled us to see our way about the log.

After some time all was silent, then suddenly came a loud yell, or
scream, uttered probably by some defenceless fruit-eating animal which
had been pounced upon by a tiger-cat or the stealthy boa-constrictor.
It required the exercise of a considerable amount of nerve to keep up
our spirits during those dark hours of the night. Now and then there
came also a crash, resounding far through the wilderness, as some huge
bough, or perhaps an entire tree, its roots loosened by the flood, fell
into the water, striking the neighbouring trees with its branches in its
descent. Most of these sounds, however, we could account for. At
length, as we all lay awake, a noise reached our ears which made several
of our party start up. I can describe it only as like the clang of an
iron bar struck against a hard hollow tree, followed by a piercing cry.
As it was not repeated, the dead silence which followed tended to
heighten the unpleasant impression it had produced.

"What can it be?" I asked Kallolo, who had just returned on board and
was sitting by me.

"Dat, Massa Guy? Dat de voice of de curupira. He bery bad man, with
long shaggy hair, and live in de trees. He neber let anyone see him,
but walk about all night, doing all the harm he can. Often he comes
down to de plantations to steal de mandioca, and carry off young
children when he can. Him got bright red face, and feet like de stag."

"But if no one has seen him, how can you tell that he has got red face,
cloven feet, and shaggy hair?" I asked.

"Ah, Massa Guy, that is more than I know; but my fader tell me so, his
fader tell him,--so I suppose some one saw him long, long ago."

"I only hope, then, that he will not come and pay us a visit," I
remarked.

"I hope not, massa," said Kallolo, shuddering and looking round into the
darkness as if he just then thought that such a thing was by no means
improbable.

Notwithstanding the dangerous position in which we were placed, I at
length dropped off to sleep. When I awoke, the day was beginning to
dawn; the birds were again astir; the cicadae had commenced their music;
flocks of parrots and macaws, and other winged inhabitants of the
forest, were passing overhead in countless