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。