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of the cabin window showed that the brig's stern was in mid-stream, with the muddy water turned to ruddy gold by the rising sun, in whose rays the current flashed and looked glorious beyond the power of words to paint. The banks of trees which dipped their boughs right into the stream, instead of looking mysteriously black, were also glowing with colour, and in several parts full of moving life, as birds of brilliant hues flitted from bough to bough, and an excited company of active monkeys swung themselves here and there in their eagerness to get a view of the strange object which had invaded their forest home. It was settled at once over breakfast that a boat should be manned directly after the meal, so that a landing might be effected on one or the other shore, the forest promising endless attractions for the naturalists. "All right, gentlemen," said Captain Banes; "the boat shall be ready, for there isn't a breath of air this morning." "Why do you speak like that?" said Sir Humphrey, noting the captain's manner. "What has the wind to do with it?" "Only that if there was a breeze I should advise you to take advantage of it and go on up the river, for you'll do no good here except by shooting from the boat." "Oh, but we must land and go up country a bit," cried Brace. "It isn't to be done, squire," said the captain. "Take your glass when you go on deck, and you'll see that the forest is all one tangle, through which you'd have to cut your way, unless you can find a creek and pole the boat along among the trees." "There must be a creek in yonder," said Briscoe, "where we heard that great alligator splashing." "Well, try, gentlemen," said the captain, smiling; "there's nothing done without: only don't go and overdo it, for you'll find it terribly hot and steamy under the trees." "I'll see to that," said Sir Humphrey quietly; and soon after, well provided with arms and ammunition, the party stepped into the boat, the men dropped their oars into the water with a splash, and in an instant there was a tremendous eddy and a little wave arose, showing the course made by some startled inhabitant of the river--fish or reptile, probably the latter, disturbed from where it had lain in the shadow of the brig. "Might have had a shot if the water had been clear," said Brace excitedly. "I've got ball in one barrel." "Good plan," said Briscoe, "for you never know what you may see next. I'd keep an eye upwar
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