barks in flat-bottomed barges to the shore, whence they are carried in baskets, upon the heads of the Indians, to a sort of store-pit, or receptacle, into which they are flung. Close to this deposit are ranged a great many narrow tables, each of them consisting only of two rough planks set upon trestles, and shaded overhead by a roof of withered grass heaped upon hurdles. All along the tables, on one side, are ranged great lines of the Indian slaves opening the oysters, while upon the other side of the tables, stand the Spanish overseers, there being one overseer to every dozen or so of openers. When an Indian finds pearls, either of the large or the seed sort, he shouts out, and his superintendent immediately goes up to him, and takes charge of the precious substances, which he is bound in turn to give to the chief superintendent, who registers their size and value in an account book. The slaves are principally fed upon the meat of the oysters, which they prepare in a particular way, passing a string through a great number of oysters in the manner of threading beads or decorations, and then hanging the festoons thus made up to dry. They likewise live upon manatee and the flesh of wild cattle, the ranchiera being amply provided with hunters, whose business it is to supply such stores. The slaves work from sunrise to sunset, with about three hours intermission when the heat is the fiercest. They are a poor, dogged, sullen-looking sort of people, with long straight black hair and big cheek-bones. It is miserable to see them at their work, crouching under the whips of the overseers, not daring to whisper to each other nor to cease for a moment, but, bending down their heads over the board, and, when they find a pearl, calling out in a low whining tone to the overseer, who presently relieves them of it. I have often, having found occasion to be sometimes on shore during the day, sat upon a little sandy hillock, sheltered from the sun by a sort of umbrella made of plaited grass, many of which the Spaniards use, and gazed upon the scene. To seaward was the surf thundering white upon the bar, and almost on the horizon the pearl barks, like black specks, guarded by the big ship, as a little hamlet is by a castle. On one side the river came shining down, amid a waste of sand-banks and knolls, spreading out and slackening in its speed, as it began to feel the near influence of the sea. On its banks vast flocks of birds disported. The flamingos stood in red rows, drawn up like soldiers. Great cranes waded in the shallow water, like men on stilts. Ducks of many sorts flew by in long lines or in the shape of wedges, with a brave old drake to lead the fleet; while small water birds, which dive, floated upon the brownish river, sometimes tipping down to the bottom with a saucy jerk of their spruce little tails, and then coming up with a flutter and a quackle. By the margin, fixed to posts and stakes, lay a fleet of canoes, and the