we could spare time
from our regular work, were glad, for the sake of variety, to go out
with him. We were walking along the shore of the lake, when from the
top of a low tree a huge bird, its plumage chiefly black, with a crest
of curled feathers on its head and a white breast, flew off over the
water.

"We have lost the bird, but we will try to find something instead," said
Kallolo, giving me his blowpipe and bow to hold. He then climbed up the
tree till he reached the bird's nest, from which he extracted two eggs,
and brought them down safety. They were considerably larger than a
duck's egg, white and granulated all over, though the bird itself did
not appear to be above the size of an ordinary duck. It was, I found, a
crested curassow. The eggs being newly laid were very palatable.
Kallolo then ascended the tree again and laid a snare, hoping to catch
the hen-bird; which, he said, might become domesticated, if carefully
treated.

As we were going through the forest shortly afterwards I heard a
rustling sound among the underwood, and saw, close ahead of me, a
dark-skinned creature about the size of a calf rush on towards the
water. Its head, of which I caught a glimpse, was peculiarly long, with
a proboscis-like snout. I guessed from this that the animal was a
tapir. Calling to Kallolo, I told him what I had seen. He came up, and
examining the ground, gave it as his opinion that the creature
frequently passed that way, and that he had little doubt we should be
able to catch it.

On returning to the settlement he invited Tim and Sambo to accompany
him, and to dig a pit in which to catch the animal. We had a short time
before manufactured some wooden spades, which served very well for
digging in soft ground: we each took one, and Kallolo having fixed on a
spot over which he considered the tapir was accustomed to pass, we set
to work to dig the pit. The tapir being unable to climb, we made our
pit only about four feet deep, seven long, and four wide. Having
shovelled away the earth as far as we could throw it, we covered the pit
over with thin branches and light twigs, which would at once give way
under the animal's weight.

Next morning, as the rest of the party were busily employed, I alone
accompanied Kallolo. We each carried a spade, with some rope and pieces
of matting.

We first visited the tree on which he had set the snare for the
curassow. As we approached we observed a fluttering on the to