The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-06-14

pull Of a couple Of miles close along
the shore brought us TO the entrance Of
another creek, which for length of two
miles averaged quite half a mile wide,
when II took n sharp bend TO the right.
or In southerly direction. and at the
sa me moment narrowed down 10 less than
q quarter OF n mile In width For the
first two miles we had plenty OF water.
that is TO say. there was never less than 8
IA thoms under our keel: but. with the
narrowing OF the creek. II shoaled rapidly,
so that by the time we had gone another
mile we found ourselves in stream
about n hundred yards wide and only
six feet deep. The mangrove swamp.
however, had ceased; and the grassy
banks shelving gently down to the water
on each side, ended In a narrow strip OF
reddish sandy beach The bush here
was very dense and the vegetation ex
tremely varied whilst the foliage seemed
TO embrace literally all the colors Of the
rainbow. Greens, of course predominated.
but they were of every conceivable shade.
from the pale delicate tint OF the young
budding leaf 10 an olive which was almost
black Then there was the ruddy bronze
. of leaves which appeared just ready TO
fall: and. thickly interspersed among the
greens were large bushes. with long
cate ashen- gray tint; others glowed In
rich mass OF flaming scarlet. whilst
others again had n leaf thickly covered
with short, white. sheeny satin-like fur
. I cannot otherwise describe (which
CLEANED and flashed In the rays as
though the leaves were Of polished silver.
Some OF the trees We're thickly covered
with blossoms. exquisite both In form
and color; while as to the passion plant
9th rarp
here. there and everywhere. In such count
I less varieties as would have sent botan-
. ist into the seventh heaven OF delight
That this vast extent Of jungle was not
tenantless we had frequent assurance In
the sudden. sharp cracking Of twigs and
branches. as well as other more distant
and more mysterious sounds; an occa-
sional glimpse Of n monkey was caught
high aloft in the gently swaying branches
of some forest giant; and birds OF gor-
ceous plumage. but more or less discord-
ant cries. constantly fitted from bough
10 bough. or swept in rapid fight across
the stream.
We were so enchanted with the beauty
of this secluded creek that. though the
time was fitting rapidly away, Mr.. Aus
sin could not resist the temptation TO
nush a little farther on notwithstanding
the fact that we had already penetrated
could possibly reach: and the men. moth
ing Ioath accordingly padded gently
ahead for another mile. At this point we
6iscovered that the tide was met and
,tonped by stream OF thick, muddy.
Sresh water; the creek or river. which
over Won choose TO call H. had narrowed
a. until Il was only about hundred feet
scross and the water had shoaled to
four feet The trees In many places grew
,,sh, down 10 the waters edge: the roots
OF some. indeed. were actually covered
sra hero and there the more lofty ones.
leaning over the stream on either side.
mingled their foliage overhead and formed
leafy arch. completely excluding the
suns rays and throwing that part of the
river which they overarched into deep
green twilight shadow. to which the eve
had 10 become accustomed before IL was
nossible 10 see anything. a hundred yards
ahead OF us there was long. continuous
,unnel formed In this way; and, on enter
to- a the men with one accord rested on
their oars and allowed the boat 10 glide
onward by her own momentum. whilst
thew looked around them, lost In wonder
and admiration
Az We shot into this watery lane. ard
the roll OF the oars I'm the rowlocks ceased.
,he silence became profound. almost op-
nressivey so marked and emphasized AZ
/, was BY the lap and gurgle OF the water
AGAINST the boats planking.
Not a bird was here TO he seen: not
even An insect--except the mosquitoes,
b,, the by. which soon began 10 swarm
round us In numbers amply sufficient TO
atone for the absence Of all other life.