islands which terminate the land of Carnapijo. The forest on all
sides formed a lofty hedge without a break; below, it was fringed
with mangrove bushes, whose small foliage contrasted with the
large glossy leaves of the taller trees, or the feather and fan-
shaped fronds of palms.

Being now arrived at our destination, Raimundo turned up his
trousers and shirt-sleeves, took his long hunting-knife, and
leapt ashore with the dogs. He had to cut a gap in order to enter
the forest. We expected to find Pacas and Cutias; and the method
adopted to secure them was this: at the present early hour they
would be seen feeding on fallen fruits, but would quickly, on
hearing a noise, betake themselves to their burrows; Raimundo was
then to turn them out by means of the dogs, and Joaquim and I
were to remain in the boat with our guns, ready to shoot all that
came to the edge of the stream--the habits of both animals, when
hard-pressed, being to take to the water. We had not long to
wait. The first arrival was a Paca, a reddish, nearly tail-less
rodent, spotted with white on the sides, and intermediate in size
and appearance between a hog and a hare. My first shot did not
take effect; the animal dived into the water and did not
reappear. A second was brought down by my companion as it was
rambling about under the mangrove bushes. A Cutia next appeared:
this is also a rodent, about one-third the size of the Paca; it
swims, but does not dive, and I was fortunate enough to shoot it.
We obtained in this way two more Pacas and another Cutia. All the
time the dogs were yelping in the forest.

Shortly afterwards Raimundo made his appearance, and told us to
paddle to the other side of the island. Arrived there, we landed