that
all must be right, and, I dare say, thinking themselves beings of no
little importance.

We had gone on for some time, when I perceived that the gloom of night
was gradually disappearing, the light of dawn taking its place. I
describe the change from night to day just as it appeared to me at the
time. Looking up, I saw that the tops of the trees were already tinged
with the glow of the rising sun. Rapidly it descended; and at length
the trees, the tall stems and winding sepos, the rich foliage, and the
calm water, were bathed in the warm light of day. No scene could have
been more beautiful. Our spirits rose, and, strange as it may seem, I
could scarcely help shouting out with delight. On one side of us
floated a number of magnificent water-lilies with leaves of prodigious
size, which I will afterwards describe. They were such as we had never
seen before.

Maco, who had gone ahead, was seated on a bough almost concealed by the
foliage, beckoning us to come on. At that moment Uncle Paul pointed
upwards towards the left; and looking over my shoulder, I saw through an
opening in the forest a platform raised between several palm-trees, with
a number of natives on it, while others, with spears in their hands,
were standing on the lower boughs engaged in spearing either fish or
turtles. They were apparently so occupied, that we hoped they had not
seen us.

Although we had already been swimming for some time, we could not
venture to rest as we had intended doing; we therefore pushed on as
rapidly as we could. In a short time Marian confessed that she could go
no further. We had, fortunately, a small piece of rope, which the
skipper had left us. It was uncoiled from the float which supported it,
and one end fastened to Marian's floats; Kallolo taking the other end,
towed her forward, while Arthur and I swam by her side. We were thus
able to proceed much faster than before.

At last we all got so tired, that even Arthur and I could not help
crying out that we should like to rest; and as we had for some time lost
sight of the Indians, there appeared to be no danger in our doing so.
Reaching a widespreading bough, therefore, interlaced by a number of
sepos not more than a foot from the water, those who were leading
climbed on it, and assisted up Marian, Arthur and I following. Here we
were all able to rest, sheltered from the rays of the sun, by this time
striking down with great force, and concealed from