ether capable of carrying
six persons. Pretty well tired by our exertions, and with good
appetites, we sat down on the huge trunk to breakfast. The heat of the
sun was already great; but, shaded by the overhanging branches, the spot
we occupied felt delightfully cool, while the bunches of fruit the
Indians had procured were most refreshing. At this meal we finished the
last of the dried fish and meat we had brought with us, and we had
henceforward to depend on the birds or animals we might trap or shoot in
the forest, or the fish we might obtain from the water. We had,
however, no fear of starving. Kallolo assured us that we should find
turtle in abundance; and that, with the blowpipe he had undertaken to
form, he should be able to kill as many birds and monkeys as we might
require; while the produce of many varieties of palm-trees and the
different fruits we were sure to discover would afford us an abundant
supply of vegetable diet.

Our final task was to cut some long poles, and to split up into thin
boards, by means of wedges, a portion of a branch which had been torn
off by a storm. These boards were secured to the ends of short poles,
and thus formed as many rough paddles as we could use.

All was now ready, and Uncle Paul gave the order to prepare for
departure. The smaller raft was first drawn under the bough: Marian was
placed on it as a passenger, Uncle Paul went as captain, Sambo as pilot,
and Arthur and I as the crew. Our father consented to go on the
newly-constructed raft, which was navigated by the three Indians and
Tim. On board neither of them was there much room to spare; and
considerable caution was necessary, when standing up, to avoid falling
off into the water or upsetting it.

All of us having taken our places, Uncle Paul exclaimed, "Now, my
friends, we must commence our voyage; and I pray that we may be
protected from all the dangers we may have to encounter."

The channel, however, was narrow, and we had considerable difficulty in
making our way along it. Our raft, being the smallest, glided very
easily between the overhanging branches and roots; but the people of the
other, with the exception of my father, had several times to jump
overboard to work it through the narrow places. Our progress was thus
but slow. The scenery was very similar to that which we had already
passed; indeed, sometimes I scarcely knew whereabouts we were, so much
did one part resemble another.

We had be