About ten a.m.
`` Faith ! it had better not , '' replied J.T. Maston ; `` a hundred dollars a day till the moon presents herself in the same conditions -- that is to say , for eighteen years and eleven days -- do you know that would make 658,000 dollars ? '' `` No , sir , we do not know , and we shall not need to learn . '' About ten a.m. the little troop had journeyed about twelve miles ; to the fertile country succeeded a forest region . There were the most varied perfumes in tropical profusion . The almost impenetrable forests were made up of pomegranates , orange , citron , fig , olive , and apricot trees , bananas , huge vines , the blossoms and fruit of which rivalled each other in colour and perfume . Under the perfumed shade of these magnificent trees sang and fluttered a world of brilliantly-coloured birds , amongst which the crab-eater deserved a jewel casket , worthy of its feathered gems , for a nest .