aguar to steal towards us
unperceived; and as for the alligators, we had arrived at the opinion
that they had more to fear from us than we from them.

Thus we were all sleeping tranquilly that night, when, about four or
five hours after sunset, I was startled by a bright light which I saw
through my closed eyelids, followed almost immediately by a tremendous
roar, which seemed to shake the very earth.

"What's the matter?" I shouted out, starting to my feet, scarcely
understanding what was about to happen.

"A thunderstorm has broken," answered the doctor; "we shall have the
wind down upon us before long, and then we shall see what we shall see."

Scarcely had he spoken when I was thrown flat on my face by a tremendous
gust, which in an instant tore away from the posts the sail which formed
our tent, and sent it fluttering in the air. The trees bent before the
furious blast, while whole branches which were torn off went flying to a
distance, and we felt masses of sticks and leaves come rattling down on
our heads. For some moments we were in total darkness, then a flash of
lightning of extreme vividness burst from the clouds, showing to me the
rest of the party lying down as I was, and involuntarily attempting to
shield their heads with their hands, while all around the lofty
palm-trees were yielding to the gale, which was tearing their feathery
heads into fragments. Every instant I expected some of the trees to
come down and crush us.

We were utterly helpless, for had we attempted to push off in the
champan, we might have been driven against the points of the sunken
trees (to the destruction of the boat), or have been stranded on the
beach. The champan, it was to be hoped, was securely moored. I shouted
to the crew, who had remained on board, but the uproar made by the
howling of the wind, and the crashing boughs, and the dashing of the
water against the banks, completely drowned my voice. All we could do,
therefore, was to remain where we were. A jaguar might have picked us
off without difficulty; but I trusted that they were as unable to move
as we were, or, what was probable, were terrified by the fierceness of
the tempest, which has the effect of overcoming the most savage natures.

I groped about till I got hold of my rifle, which as usual I had placed
by my side when I went to sleep. At length there came a lull, when I
heard the doctor's voice shouting out, "Barry, my boy, where are you?
Mr Concann