"I don't think, Doctor," Harry Parkhurst said, in a tone that was
half in earnest, "that I feel so anxious as I did for sport in the
forest; and certainly I should decline to take part in it after
nightfall."

"I can quite understand that, lad. At night all the sounds of a
tropical forest seem mysterious and weird, but in the broad daylight
the bush will be comparatively still. The nocturnal animals will
slink away to their lairs, and there will seem nothing strange to
you in the songs and calls of the birds. I should recommend you all
to take a sound dose of quinine tonight; I have a two and a half
gallon keg of the stuff mixed, and any officer or man can go and
take a glass whenever he feels he wants it. It would be good for
your nerves, as well as neutralize the effect of the damp rising
from the river. I should advise you who are not on the watch to
turn in early; it is of no use your exposing yourselves more than
is necessary to the miasma."

The next day progress was more rapid, for the captain found that
the assurance of the pilot that there was amply sufficient water
for the Serpent had been verified, and he therefore steamed forward
at half speed, without sending the launch on ahead to take soundings.
Several villages were passed by the way, but though the inhabitants
assembled on the banks and watched the steamer, no boats were put
out, nor were any attempts made to barter their products with the
strangers.

"It does not look as if we were popular, Mr. Ferguson," the captain
said to the first lieutenant. "It may be that they object to our