y of life.

We soon reached the birds' roosting-place; but no sooner did they see us
than, contrary to Tim's expectations, they all arose and began circling
round our heads, screaming vociferously. Kallolo, looking on calmly,
did not shoot. Tim and I let fly a couple of arrows, but both missed.
At last the birds began to settle down, and I again shot an arrow, when
down tumbled a young macaw. The missile had passed through its wing.
Away it scuttled, uttering loud shrieks from pain and terror. Tim and I
made chase, he holding the mat with the joined part in front ready to
throw over the bird. We quickly overtook it, when, finding that it
could not escape, it turned round and did battle bravely for its
liberty, attempting to bite our legs with its sharp beak; but Tim's sack
was speedily over it, and drawing the string, he had it a close
prisoner. Meantime Kallolo had brought down three of its companions
with his deadly blowpipe. Though they struggled at first, they speedily
succumbed to the effects of the poison, and were tied by the feet and
slung over his back.

Laden with our prizes we returned homewards. The dead birds were at
once stripped of their feathers, spitted, and placed before the fire to
roast for supper; for had they been allowed to cool they would have
proved somewhat tough, but treated as they were they were perfectly
tender. The live macaw was allowed to remain in the bag all night, when
its spirit being somewhat quelled by hunger, we gave it some nuts, which
it took readily; and in the course of the day it consented to come out
and get a string tied round its leg. At night it went to roost; and by
the next morning it was perfectly tame, and willingly took the fruit and
nuts offered it. Its plumage was blue and yellow; and though not so
pretty as some of its more gaily-coloured relatives, as its temper
improved it became a great favourite.

We had by this time erected a complete village of huts. The good
captain and his mate, that we might have more room, had built one for
themselves. Tim and Sambo put up another, and the three Indians erected
a fifth. They had no pretensions to architectural beauty, but were
quite sufficient for all the shelter required in that warm climate. For
our dining-hall we had an open shed, where we were sheltered from the
rays of the sun. We were also making good progress with the vessel: the
stem and the stern, with several ribs, had already been fixed. Cut