BONNY RIVER. 37

either side, across the stream, appeared the dark
outline of the tall trees which clothed the river’s
banks, Silence reigned around us, with the excep-
tion of the ripple of the water against the vessel’s
bows; but from afar off came a confused mixture
of sounds, which appeared like the croaking of
frogs, the chirruping of crickets, and other creeping
and flying things, the screeching and chattering of
monkeys, mingled with the voices of human beings
making merry round their huts. The air was
damp and heavy and hot; at the same time I felt
that I should like to be seated by a roaring drying
fire.

We kept a watch on deck as if we were at sea,
with arms ready for use, for though our pilot had
assured us ‘that all good people here,’ Captain
Willis was too well acquainted, both with the
character of the natives, and the sort of gentry who
might possibly be in the river waiting for a cargo
of slaves, to put himself in their power.

I tumbled and tossed about during the night in
my berth, unable to sleep, both on account of the
heat, and, strange to say, of the perfect quiet which
prevailed. Next morning a large canoe was seen
coming off from the shore, in which was seated a