the higher ground. It is often the case that more important
events fade from recollection, while trifling incidents are remembered;
so, even at the present day, the scene on which my eye rested as the sun
rose above the horizon is impressed on my memory. We were passing by a
small arm or inlet of the lake, surrounded thickly by reeds, and in
parts overhung by the branches of trees, amid which birds of gorgeous
hue were fluttering; while near at hand one of the gaily-decked patos
reales, or royal ducks, with its young brood, floated on the calmer
water; and farther off a long-legged water-fowl, of the crane or bittern
species, stood gazing at us with a watchful eye as we approached its
domain. Had we possessed a larger supply of ammunition, I might have
shot the duck for breakfast; but I was unwilling to expend a charge of
powder--and besides, I was not sorry to allow the beautiful creature to
enjoy its existence.

Kanimapo came up to us. "We will quickly have some of these birds," he
observed. "Wait a few minutes, and you shall see how I will catch
them."

Saying this, he retired out of sight of the birds, and speedily
constructed a sort of basket from the reeds which grew on the bank, of
sufficient size to cover his head and shoulders. As soon as he had
manufactured it, he cautiously approached the bank and shoved it off.
Impelled by a light breeze which blew from the shore, it floated away
towards where the ducks were swimming about. They swam up to it, and,
after sufficient examination, perceiving that it could do them no harm,
took no further notice of it. The Indian, in the meantime, had formed
another basket of the same description, which he secured over his
shoulders, leaving a space sufficient to enable him to look through it.
He now slipped into the water, and, keeping his feet and arms low down,
slowly swam towards the ducks. They, already accustomed to the
appearance of the basket, seemed in no way alarmed; and thus he was able
to get close up to them, when one after the other disappeared beneath
the surface. Thus he secured half-a-dozen fine ducks, with which he
returned to the shore, when he fastened them together with a string and
suspended them at his back.

We proceeded on some distance farther, till we reached a sheltered spot
in the woods, where we could encamp and cook the provisions we had
brought for our morning meal. Kanimapo assured us that we need not be
afraid of starving, as the r