beauties with which this sheet of water is reputed to be surrounded. We were much amused when on our passage to the lake, in discovering, at a distance, a man floating with the stream and seated upright in the water; we were unable immediately to discover what supported him in that position, but shortly after we descried the projecting nose of an enormous carabou or Indian buffalo. The Indian appeared to be quite at his ease, sitting astride the ponderous animal, smoking one of the immense-sized cigars I have before mentioned, and which would last out a reasonable cruise. With the left hand he grasped the animal’s tail, to support him in the current, and a rope passed through the nose (the usual custom here) served to direct the _figure-head_ to any part to which he fancied to go. He was hailed by our Indians and asked where he was bound; he replied he was on his way to pay visits to some Señoritas down the river, and, subsequently, was going to Manila, to sell his carabou, (a distance of about ten miles.) [Sidenote: PATERO.] The scene was occasionally enlivened by the sound of a guitar, proceeding from a canoe or a cottage on the shore. Rafts of cocoa-nuts, containing many thousands, guided by a single man standing in the centre of them, holding a long pole, with other rafts, of bamboo and timber, were constantly passing us. On our return from the lakes we visited several small streams on the left hand of the river, on which is situated an extensive village called Patero, alias Duck-town--a very appropriate name for the place, for I never before saw so many ducks together; the cottages were standing very near to each other, and thousands of these birds were feeding on the river, being secured by a slight fence made of bamboo. Raising ducks and fishing seemed to be the only employment. Every thing about the inhabitants wore a rustic appearance, which was heightened, in a certain degree, by the plantain and mango trees, overshadowing their picturesque habitations: some were washing clothes in the stream, others, cooking in the open air--many were stretched out at full length, asleep; children were hanging in cots under the shadowy branches of the trees, soothed by gentle breezes which rocked them to sleep--others, of a larger growth, in a state of nudity, were playing with the ducks, sailing mimic boats, or making _dirt-puddings_--not a few in number were diverting themselves with cock-fighting--others were endeavouring to make a little musick, and some were playing the game of draughts, with small stones. A portion of the young Indian girls (Tagalos) were decorating or anointing their pretty persons--others were paddling about in small canoes, which they would occasionally upset to create a hearty laugh and then, like dripping Naiads, again scrambling into them, would repeat the same frolic. This village, or a succession of villages, extends several miles along various outlets from the main river, from which no