e question was whether or not
it would pass near enough to him to allow him to strike it with his
lance. As it drew nearer, we saw that it had a young one by its side.
Now, greatly to our disappointment, it floated off to the opposite side
of the stream, and we feared that it would be lost. It suddenly turned
again, however, while its young one disappeared beneath it. For some
time it remained almost stationary, then, unconscious of its danger,
floated directly under where Camo stood. At that instant his long lance
flew from his hand, and buried itself deep in the animal's back. The
other natives, who had been watching eagerly, now sprang forward and
hurled their lances, fixing them firmly, one in its neck, and another
towards its tail. The creature, finding itself wounded, began to plunge
violently, but made no other effort to escape. It seemed, however, as
if the light lances would be unable to hold it. Arthur and I on this
made our way as close to the water as we could; and when we got the
creature clearly in sight, Arthur fired, and sent a bullet through its
head. Its struggles instantly ceased, and without much difficulty we
drew it up to the only part of the bank in the neighbourhood where we
could land it. It was quite dead, but even then it required our united
strength to drag it on shore. The young one followed, and tried to
climb up the bank, when Tim despatched it with a blow of his axe. It
seemed a cruel deed, but necessity, in such a case, has no law, and we
were thankful to have obtained such an ample supply of meat.

We at once set to work to cut up the creature, under Camo's directions,
and soon had loaded ourselves with as much meat as we could carry.
Leaving one of the natives to guard the carcass from the birds of prey,
or any animals which might come to feed on it, we hastened back to our
retreat, and then returned for a further quantity. Uncle Paul was
delighted at our success; and we immediately set to work to cut the meat
into thin strips, which we hung up in the sun. In the evening we cooked
a portion of the young manatee for supper, and we all agreed that it
tasted like the most delicate pork.

We had now a supply of meat sufficient to last us for several days; and
we hoped, with the aid of some cocoanuts, yams, plantains, bananas, and
other fruits, to secure an ample supply of provisions for the longest
voyage we were likely to take. Our hope was that we should quickly get
on bo