uman perversity that we now insisted that he must
go for $2.00, which he finally agreed to do. Hurrying away to get his
canoe, he soon appeared, and our hearts sank. The man who had demanded
$3.50 had a large, well-built boat, which should stand any wind and
water. The man whom we had engaged had a canoe so narrow, low, and small
that we doubted his ability to perform his contract; however, he assured
us that all would be well, and showed himself so skilful in packing our
stuff into his boat, that we ourselves embarked, and started down the
little lagoon in his canoe. So long as we remained in this narrow,
sheltered stream, all was well; but when he poled from its mouth out to
the open river, we found it a different matter. More than this, we saw
two or three canoes dancing over the white caps, and managed with great
difficulty, although not loaded. The courage of our boatman was a little
dashed; he suggested that we leave Ramon, Louis, and Manuel on an old
scow standing on the bank and fast going to ruin, while he poled myself
and the luggage over, after which he would return for my companions.
This seemed good sense, and the boys were left behind. It was
interesting to see the skill with which the man handled our rather
awkward craft, loaded at it was almost to the water's edge. He had no
motive power but his long pole. We did not ship a single drop of water,
and at last entered the quiet, broad, canal-like lagoon on the other
side of the river. A moment more, and we were unloading our luggage onto
the shore. To do this, we were forced to wade through mud up to the
knees. But at last all was safe, and with his empty canoe, our boatman
started merrily back for his other passengers. When they arrived, only
a few minutes were necessary for reloading the canoe, and we started up
the lagoon. Little side lagoons opened frequently into the one through
which we passed. At their mouths were V-shaped weirs of stakes, driven
into the bottom and wattled together with flexible twigs. These were
open at the mouth, and in the openings were set dip-nets, which could
be lowered into the water. Just now, with the heavy norther blowing,
thousands of _camaron_ (shrimps) were driven into the nets, and at each
one we saw fishermen busily occupied. The lagoon abounded in water-birds
of many kinds, and hardly had we entered it, when Louis shot a pretty,
small white heron.

Believing that the owner of animals to whom we had been referred was