"Yes, and taken another spoon-bait and hook belonging to the captain," said the second mate ruefully, as he looked at the broken end of the line he held in his hand. "Yes, and he nearly took the gaff-hook as well," said Briscoe. "I say, Mr Briscoe, why didn't you hold him? You had him fast." "Why didn't you hold him with the line?" said the American drily. "Can't you see? It broke." And Lynton held out the end. "And can't you see? What sort of hook do you call this?" As he spoke Briscoe held out the gaff, which was nearly straightened out. "I guess," he continued, "that you people ought to make this sort of tools of hard steel and not of soft iron." They examined the hook, and even though it was made of soft iron the strength exerted to straighten it out as had been done must have been enormous. "Well, anyhow, our fish has gone," said Lynton ruefully. "And if we're not going to have any better luck than this," said Brace, laughing, "the cook will not have much use for his frying-pan. There, let's run up to the falls, and perhaps we may do something with our guns." "Just so," said Briscoe; "only mind how you shoot, for if anything should happen to fall into the water, the fish'll have it before we know where we are. This seems to me," he added drily, "rather a fishy place." CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. TOWARDS THE FALLS. The fishing-line was laid to dry, the sail was bellied out, and the boat ran swiftly on again before the brisk breeze. Lynton, who now steered, kept the little vessel close in shore so that a good view might be had of the beauties of the lovely surrounding country, for here tree and shrub had room to grow and assume their natural shape without being deformed by crowding neighbours or strangled by the twining monsters struggling upward so as to be able to expand their blossoms in the full sunshine. In a short distance, though, the forest grew thicker, and the great trees crowded down closer to the water's edge. Brace and his naturalist companion had withdrawn their gaze from the silvery sheen of the descending fall a mile ahead, to gloat over the beautifully-coloured birds, insects, and flowers which revelled in myriads in the light, heat, and moisture of the glorious bank of the stream. Fresh beauties rose to the view at every glide of the boat, and Brace felt that what they ought to do was to check its way and stop to drink in the glories of the scene. Chance after chance offered itself, but neither of the gun-bearers felt disposed to shoot, and their pieces rested in the hollows of their arms till suddenly, as they passed round a point, they came upon a scene in a nook some fifty yards away which made each seize and cock his weapon. There, right down by the edge of the water, squatted a curious and most uncouth-looking form totally unclothed save by its natural hairy growth, and apparently quite unconscious of their approach as it bent over and lapped the water it raised in its shaggy hand.