Insect life was abundant: burnished beetles and lovely coloured butterflies flitting from flower to flower.

Birds, too, especially waders and great creatures that I took to be pelicans, were busy in the shallows, where now and then a great crocodile wallowed through the mud, evidently roused by our approach, for though we saw several of these creatures, not one gave the slightest sign of a disposition to attack.
"There, we are not likely to see deer before evening when they come down to drink," said the doctor.

"Let's get back, Joe, my lad, the sun is not so powerful as it was, and we may as well make a fresh start." We were about three parts of the way back, finding some fresh object of interest at every turn, when I suddenly caught hold of my companion's arm, for a peculiar cry fell upon my ear.
"Something wrong!" exclaimed the doctor, and we set off at a sharp run where the undergrowth would allow.
A curious sensation of dread came over me, and a cold damp feeling was on my brow and in the palms of my hands as the cry rose once more--a singularly doleful cry, as of some one in great peril.
"Are you loaded ?" said the doctor, as we ran on, and his voice sounded hoarse with emotion.
I nodded, for I could not speak, and, full of the idea that our little camp had been attacked by savages and that some of our followers were being killed, I ran on.
It was hard work and like running in a nightmare to get back to our starting-place, for there was always some thorn or tangle that we had not noticed in our careful advance seeming to stop us on our way; but at last we came within sight of the spot where we had left Jack Penny, but he was not there.
"There's something wrong at the camp," I panted.
"Be cool," replied the doctor, "we may have to fire.

Try and keep your nerve.

Ah!" This ejaculation was consequent upon our simultaneously catching sight of Jack Penny, up to the armpits in the river, holding on by the branch of a tree.
As he saw us he shouted lustily for help.