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in this upturned sand he has suspected the presence of eggs, and you see the mark of his nose where he pressed it to the sand to detect the smell of the laying iguana or tortoise. At the edge of the grass you see a large track, the size of a man's hand, where a 'tiger' has come to the river for a drink. You follow it to the edge of the water, and see that after taking his drink he has walked along the beach and turned again into the bush. Many tracks of bird or beast afford. you an opportunity of testing your knowledge of the inhabitants of the forest, and if you are at a loss you call an Indian up, and he interprets for you at once.

CHAPTER VII.

Twaka village-Interview with a cock curassow-News of the day-The Twakas-Industries and customs-Bathing sports-I go huntingThe hunting-path-Meet two bush nymphs-Dexterity of Indians in the bush-A view from a hill--A drove of warree-Gathering the slain-Hiring men for mahogany works-We prepare our provisions.

WHEN the Indians had finished their toilet with jaunty streak or two of red and black paint on their cheeks, we embarked again, and had not gone far before we perceived the smell of fire. Soon after we heard the barking of dogs and crowing of cocks, and on turning a bend came full in view of the Twaka settlement of Accawass maya, consisting of three immensely long houses placed on the top of the river bank, 90 feet above water. At the landing-place troops of women and children were bathing and swimming about. The women were greatly disturbed and confused, not at being seen bathing, but at not being in time to run up and hide away their things, as their sad experience of the Mosquito Indians of the coast teaches them that such visitors are accustomed to beg from the Smoo and Twaka Indians everything they fancy; nor are the domineering Mosquito men to be put off with one refusal, or two. While the women nervously put on their dry wrappers, the naked children rushed screaming up the bank, dogs sallied out of the houses and barked violently, and the men were seen hurriedly secreting their valuables; but seeing two white faces, they took courage, and came down to the waterside

to receive us; and while we shook hands all round, the women, with dripping hair, and some with babies in their arms, ran up the bank to the shelter of their homes.

This is a very pretty little village overlooking the river, and surrounded by forest. About fourteen families live in three long houses, which are, as usual, open at the sides, and have stages on posts at the height of the eaves as sleepingplaces. Hammocks were slung from the house-posts for the men to sit in, and each of the women had a little wooden stool at her own fireside. Large earthen pots, bamboojoints filled with water, calabashes, and gourds, littered the earthen floor, and little naked children were creeping about, knocking them down or being knocked down by them, or stumbling over sleeping dogs. Round about the houses the ground was thoroughly weeded, swept clean, and planted with those flowers with which the Indians love to adorn their homes. These are generally African marigolds, purple and white four-o'clocks, the crimson hibiscus, the anatto bush-which bears bunches of flowers a little like the English rose--and the chili-pepper, bearing capsicums of various bright colours. Round about the houses swarms of cocks and hens, muscovy ducks and tame curassows, quams and other birds, wandered about in the most confidential manner, the latter having laid aside their wild habits to enjoy the comfort and security of domestic life. Numerous parrots waddled along the ground, screaming at anyone who passed too close to them; agoutis popped out of dark corners, and sat upright nibbling scraps of food; monkeys chased each other over the house-tops. One might almost think that some form of millennium had come, when the wild animals of the forest were to live at peace with man; but we know that the Indian women and children are fond of taming the wild animals and birds. They are fond, in fact, of all pets, but they have only their dogs and the captured wild animals to lavish their affections on.