ButnowIcouldnotseefiftyyardsaroundme，becauseofadensemistthatgatheredonthefaceofthequietwater，andhungthereforanhourormore。
Whenthesunwaswellupandatlengththemistclearedaway，IperceivedthatIhaddriftedfarfromtheship，ofwhichIcouldonlyseethemaststhatgreweverfaintertilltheyvanished。
Nowthesurfaceoftheseawasclearoffogexceptinonedirection，whereithunginathickbankofvapour，thoughwhyitshouldrestthereandnowhereelse，I
couldnotunderstand。
Thenthesungrewhot，andmysufferingscommenced，forexceptthedraughtofspiritsthathadbeengivenmeintheholdoftheslave-
ship，Ihadtouchednodrinkforadayandanight。
Iwillnottellthemallinparticulardetail，itisenoughtosaythatthosecanscarcelyimaginethemwhohaveneverstoodforhourafterhourinabarrel，bare-headedandparchedwiththirst，whilethefierceheatofatropicalsunbeatdownonthemfromabove，andwasreflectedupwardfromtheglassysurfaceofthewater。
Intime，indeed，Igrewfaintanddizzy，andcouldhardlysavemyselffromfallingintothesea，andatlastIsankintoasortofsleeporinsensibility，fromwhichIwasawakenedbyasoundofscreamingbirdsandoffallingwater。
Ilookedandsawtomywonderanddelight，thatwhatIhadtakentobeabankofmistwasreallylow-
lyingland，andthatIwasdriftingrapidlywiththetidetowardsthebarofalargeriver。
Thesoundofbirdscamefromgreatflocksofsea-gullsthatwerepreyingontheshoalsoffish，whichfedatthemeetingofthefreshandsaltwater。
Presently，asI
watched，agullseizedafishthatcouldnothaveweighedlessthanthreepounds，andstrovetoliftitfromthesea。
Failinginthis，itbeatthefishontheheadwithitsbeaktillitdied，andhadbeguntodevourit，whenIdrifteddownuponthespotandmadehastetoseizethefish。
Inanothermoment，dreadfulasitmayseem，Iwasdevouringthefoodraw，andneverhaveIeatenwithbetterappetite，orfoundmorerefreshmentinameal。
WhenIhadswallowedallthatIwasable，withoutdrinkingwater，I
puttherestofthefishintothepocketofmycoat，andturnedmythoughtstothebreakersonthebar。
SoonitwasevidenttomethatIcouldnotpassthemstandinginmybarrel，soIhastenedtoupsetmyselfintothewaterandtoclimbastrideofit。
Presentlywewereinthesurf，andIhadmuchadotoclingon，butthetideboremeforwardbravely，andinhalfanhourmorethebreakerswerepast，andIwasinthemouthofthegreatriver。
Nowfortunefavouredmestillfurther，forIfoundapieceofwoodfloatingonthestreamwhichservedmeforapaddle，andbyitshelpIwasenabledtosteermycrafttowardstheshore，thatasIwentI
perceivedtobeclothedwiththickreeds，inwhichtallandlovelytreesgrewingroups，bearingclustersoflargenutsintheircrowns。
HithertothisshoreIcamewithoutfurtheraccident，havingspentsometenhoursinmytub，thoughitwasbutachancethatIdidso，becauseofthehorriblereptilescalledcrocodiles，or，bysome，alligators，withwhichthisriverswarmed。
ButofthemIknewnothingasyet。
Ireachedlandbutjustintime，forbeforeIwasashorethetideturned，andtideandcurrentbegantocarrymeouttoseaagain，whenceassuredlyIhadnevercomeback。
Indeed，forthelasttenminutes，ittookallthestrengththatIhadtoforcethebarrelalongtowardsthebank。
Atlength，however，Iperceivedthatitfloatedinnotmorethanfourfeetofwater，andslidingfromit，I
wadedtothebankandcastmyselfatlengththeretorestandthankGodwhothusfarhadpreservedmemiraculously。
Butmythirst，whichnowreturneduponmemorefiercelythanever，wouldnotsuffermetoliethusforlong，soIstaggeredtomyfeetandwalkedalongthebankoftherivertillIcametoapoolofrainwater，whichonthetasting，provedtobesweetandgood。
ThenI
drank，weepingforjoyatthetasteofthewater，dranktillI
coulddrinknomore，andletthosewhohavestoodinsuchaplightrememberwhatwaterwastothem，fornowordsofminecantellit。
AfterIhaddrunkandwashedthebrinefrommyfaceandbody，I
drewouttheremainderofmyfishandateitthankfully，andthusrefreshed，castmyselfdowntosleepintheshadeofabushbearingwhiteflowers，forIwasutterlyoutworn。
WhenIopenedmyeyesagainitwasnight，anddoubtlessIshouldhavesleptonthroughmanyhoursmorehaditnotbeenforadreadfulitchandpainthattookmeineverypart，tillatlengthI
sprangupandcursedinmyagony。
AtfirstIwasatalosstoknowwhatoccasionedthistorment，tillIperceivedthattheairwasalivewithgnat-likeinsectswhichmadeasingingnoise，andthensettlingonmyflesh，suckedbloodandspatpoisonintothewoundatoneandthesametime。
ThesedreadfulinsectstheSpaniardsnamemosquitoes。
Norweretheytheonlyflies，forhundredsofothercreatures，nobiggerthanapin’shead，hadfastenedontomelikebulldogstoabaitedbear，boringtheirheadsintotheflesh，whereintheendtheycausefesters。
TheyarenamedgarrapatasbytheSpanish，andItakethemtobetheyoungofthetic。
Otherstherewere，also，toonumeroustomention，andofeveryshapeandsize，thoughtheyhadthisincommon，allbitandallwerevenomous。
Beforethemorningtheseplagueshaddrivenmealmosttomadness，forinnowaycouldIobtainrelieffromthem。
TowardsdawnIwentandlayinthewater，thinkingtolessenmysufferings，butbeforeIhadbeentheretenminutesIsawahugecrocodileriseupfromthemudbesideme。
Isprangawaytothebankhorriblyafraid，forneverbeforehadIbeheldsomonstrousandevil-lookingabrute，tofallagainintotheclutchesofthecreatures，wingedandcrawling，thatwerewaitingformetherebymyriads。
Butenoughofthesedamnableinsects！
Atlengththemorningbrokeandfoundmeinasorryplight，formyfacewasswollentothesizeofapumpkinbythevenomofthemosquitoes，andtherestofmybodywasinlittlebettercase。
MoreoverIcouldnotkeepmyselfstillbecauseoftheitching，butmustrunandjumplikeamadman。
AndwherewasItoruntothroughthishugeswamp，inwhichIcouldseenoshelterorsignofman？
I
couldnotguess，sosinceImustkeepmovingIfollowedthebankoftheriver，asIwalkeddisturbingmanycrocodilesandloathsomesnakes。
NowIknewthatIcouldnotlivelonginsuchsuffering，anddeterminedtostruggleforwardtillIfelldowninsensibleanddeathputanendtomytorments。
ForanhourormoreIwentonthustillIcametoaplacethatwasclearofbushandreeds。
AcrossthisIskippedanddanced，strikingwithmyswollenhandsatthegnatswhichbuzzedaboutmyhead。
Nowtheendwasnotfaroff，forIwasexhaustedandneartofalling，whensuddenlyIcameuponapartyofmen，brownincolourandclothedwithwhitegarments，whohadbeenfishingintheriver。
Bythemonthewaterwereseveralcanoesinwhichwereloadsofmerchandise，andtheywerenowengagedineating。
Sosoonasthesemencaughtsightofmetheyutteredexclamationsinanunknowntongueandseizingweaponsthatlaybythem，bowsandarrowsandwoodenclubssetoneithersidewithspikesofflintyglass，theymadetowardsmeasthoughtokillme。
NowIliftedupmyhandsprayingformercy，andseeingthatIwasunarmedandhelplessthemenlaiddowntheirarmsandaddressedme。
IshookmyheadtoshowthatIcouldnotunderstand，andpointedfirsttotheseaandthentomyswollenfeatures。
Theynodded，andgoingtooneofthecanoesamanbroughtfromitapasteofabrowncolourandaromaticsmell。
Thenbysignshedirectedmetoremovesuchgarmentsasremainedonme，thefashionofwhichseemedtopuzzlethemgreatly。
Thisbeingdone，theyproceededtoanointmybodywiththepaste，thetouchofwhichgavemeamostblessedrelieffrommyintolerableitchingandburning，andmoreoverrenderedmyfleshdistastefultotheinsects，forafterthattheyplaguedmelittle。
WhenIwasanointedtheyofferedmefood，friedfishandcakesofmeal，togetherwithamostdelicioushotdrinkcoveredwithabrownandfoamingfroththatIlearnedtoknowafterwardsaschocolate。
WhenIhadfinishedeating，havingtalkedawhiletogetherinlowtones，theymotionedmetoenteroneofthecanoes，givingmematstolieon。
Iobeyed，andthreeothermencamewithme，forthecanoewaslarge。
Oneofthese，averygravemanwithagentlefaceandmannerwhomItooktobethechiefoftheparty，satdownoppositetome，theothertwoplacingthemselvesinthebowandsternoftheboatwhichtheydrovealongbymeansofpaddles。
Thenwestarted，followedbythreeothercanoes，andbeforewehadgoneamileutterwearinessoverpoweredmeandIfellasleep。
Iawokemuchrefreshed，havingsleptmanyhours，fornowthesunwassetting，andwasastonishedtofindthegrave-lookingmanmycompanioninthecanoe，keepingwatchovermysleepandwardingthegnatsfrommewithaleafybranch。
HiskindnessseemedtoshowthatIwasinnodangerofill-treatment，andmyfearsonthatpointbeingsetatrest，IbegantowonderastowhatstrangelandIhadcomeandwhoitspeoplemightbe。
Soon，however，Igaveover，havingnothingtobuildon，andobservedthesceneryinstead。
NowwewerepaddlingupasmallerriverthantheoneonthebanksofwhichIhadbeencastaway，andwerenolongerinthemidstofmarshes。
Oneithersideofuswasopenland，orratherlandthatwouldhavebeenopenhaditnotbeenforthegreattrees，largerthanthelargestoak，whichgrewuponit，someofthemofsurpassingbeauty。
Upthesetreesclimbedcreepersthathunglikeropesevenfromthetopmostboughs，andamongthemweremanystrangeandgorgeousfloweringplantsthatseemedtoclingtothebarkasmossclingstoawall。
Intheirbranchesalsosatharsh-
voicedbirdsofbrilliantcolours，andapesthatbarkedandchatteredatusaswewent。
Justasthesunsetoverallthisstrangenewscenethecanoescametoalandingplacebuiltoftimber，andwedisembarked。
Nowitgrewdarksuddenly，andallIcoulddiscoverwasthatIwasbeingledalongagoodroad。
Presentlywereachedagate，which，fromthebarkingofdogsandthenumbersofpeoplewhothrongedaboutit，Ijudgedtobetheentrancetoatown，andpassingit，weadvanceddownalongstreetwithhousesoneitherside。
Atthedoorwayofthelasthousemycompanionhalted，andtakingmebythehand，ledmeintoalonglowroomlitwithlampsofearthenware。
Heresomewomencameforwardandkissedhim，whileotherswhomI
tooktobeservants，salutedhimbytouchingthefloorwithonehand。
Soon，however，alleyeswereturnedonmeandmanyeagerquestionswereaskedofthechief，ofwhichIcouldonlyguessthepurport。
Whenallhadgazedtheirfillsupperwasserved，arichmealofmanystrangemeats，andofthisIwasinvitedtopartake，whichI
did，seatedonamatandeatingofthedishesthatwereplaceduponthegroundbythewomen。
AmongtheseInoticedonegirlwhofarsurpassedalltheothersingrace，thoughnonewereunpleasingtotheeye。
Shewasdark，indeed，butherfeatureswereregularandhereyesfine。
Herfigurewastallandstraight，andthesweetnessofherfaceaddedtothecharmofherbeauty。
