reen, evenly arched over and
forming a deep green vault, with the heavy clusters of ripe red fruit
hanging beneath it. We were attracted to the spot by seeing numerous
vultures hovering over it; and on reaching the tree we found that they
had come not to devour a carcass beneath, as we had supposed, but to
feed on the fruit.

Another palm, the assai, afforded us an abundance of berries, about the
size of a cranberry, and of a dark brown colour. From it we
manufactured a refreshing beverage. The trunk is perfectly smooth, and
the fruit grows in heavy clusters just below the long leaves which crown
its summit. At first we thought it would be impossible to reach them,
but Maco showed us how they were to be obtained. Binding his feet
together by a strip of palm-leaves above his instep, he pressed his
knees against the trunk, and quickly ascended the polished stem, till he
reached the fruit at the summit.

Although we could generally obtain as much game as we required in the
immediate neighbourhood of the settlement, we occasionally made long
excursions, for the purpose of seeking for a variety. I had one day
accompanied Kallolo further to the north, along the shore of the lake,
than we had hitherto gone. As we were pushing our way through the
forest, we unexpectedly came upon the shores of a small lake, united, as
we afterwards discovered, with several other lakes of a similar size and
appearance. As we stood there, concealed by the trees which thickly
covered its banks, Kallolo whispered to me, "Don't move or make the
slightest sound, and we will quickly capture a bird which will be highly
prized by our friends." He pointed, as he spoke, to the water, on which
I observed a number of enormous circular leaves floating, like vast
dishes, their edges turned up all round, and with beautiful flowers
rising amidst them. But what was more surprising than the leaves, was
to see a large bird with long legs calmly walking over them, and, as far
as I could judge, scarcely making them sink in the slightest degree in
the water.

Kallolo, telling me to remain quiet, threw off his clothes, and having
covered his head with a bunch of grass which he hastily plucked from the
bank, he made his way amid the water towards the bird; which, standing
on a leaf, was engaged in picking up aquatic insects floating by, and
uttering a low-sounding "cluck, cluck" at short intervals. When the
bird turned towards Kallolo, he immediately stop