[Illustration: FRONTISPIECE. ]

ADVENTURES

OF

A YOUNG NATURALIST. 

BY

LUCIEN BIART. 

 EDITED AND ADAPTED BY PARKER GILLMORE, AUTHOR OF "ALL ROUND THE WORLD, " "GUN, ROD, AND SADDLE, " "ACCESSIBLE FIELD SPORTS, " ETC. 

 _WITH ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS. _

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 NEW YORK: HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE. 1871. 

PREFACE. 

There is no country on the face of the earth that possesses greaterinterest in the eyes of the scientific or travelled than Mexico, thescene where the adventures so graphically and clearly narrated in thisvolume transpired: nor is this partiality to be wondered at when werecall to memory what a lavish hand Nature has subtended to her. 

Although several of our most celebrated naturalists have climbed itslofty volcanic mountains, explored its lagoons and giant rivers, andtraversed its immense forests, still, from the vast extent of thatcountry and variety of climate--caused by difference of elevation--muchyet remains to be done ere the public become thoroughly conversant withits arboreal and zoological productions. 

The elephant, hippopotamus, lion, and tiger, the largest and mostformidable of the terrestrial mammals of the Old World, are not here tobe found; but their places are well supplied by the swamp-loving tapir, the voracious alligator, the stealthy puma, and the blood-thirstyjaguar, all well worthy of the sportsman's rifle, or of thesnake-visioned native warrior's weapons--for the power of destruction inthese animals during life is great, while after death they eitherfurnish valuable skins or wholesome food. Moreover, here the wolf awakesthe reverberating echoes of the forest with its dismal howl; theraccoon, opossum, and squirrel pass their lives in sportive gambols; thewild and the ocellated turkeys strut about, pompous in manner, as ifconscious of their handsome plumage, while the timid deer andshaggy-coated bison roam over prairies or through woodland glades, asyet unacquainted with the report of the white man's destructivefire-arms. 

Can it, therefore, be surprising that our little hero should have cravedto be permitted to have a sight of this new land, so rich in theprospect of adventure? How he behaved himself throughout the numerousordeals to which he was submitted, suffice it for me to say that hisconduct was worthy of the representative of any nationality, and such aswas calculated to make all parents proud of their offspring; for whethersuffering from thirst or hunger, being persecuted by noxious insects, straying in the woods, even when within reach of the fiercest carnivoraor in the presence of the deadliest reptiles, he never for a momenthesitated in performing his seniors' instructions, lost his courage, or, better still, an opportunity of improving his mind. 

That the young English reader may benefit as much by the perusal of thiswork as Master Lucien, otherwise "Sunbeam, " did by his journey throughthe Cordilleras of Mexico, and that they may enjoy the informationherein imparted upon the wonderful works of the Creator, is the sincerewish of

 THE EDITOR. 

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CONTENTS. 

 INTRODUCTION Page 13

 CHAPTER I. 

 Who we are. --Gringalet. --Sunrise. --The Sugar-cane. --A Halt. 20

 CHAPTER II. 

 Sugar. --Gringalet in the Molasses Tank. --L'Encuerado's obstinate Idea. --An Indian Supper. 34

 CHAPTER III. 

 Waking up in the Morning. --The pigmy World of Lilliput. --L'Encuerado and the Bottles. --Massacre of Thistles. --The Charcoal-burning Indians. 46

 CHAPTER IV. 

 A difficult Ascent. --The Goat. --The Indian Girls. --The Tobacco-plant. --The Bull-fight. --Game. --Lucien's Gun. --Our Entry into the Wilderness. 61

 CHAPTER V. 

 The great Forest. --Crows. --The first Bivouac. --The Squirrel-hunt. --Our young Guide. --The Chant in the Desert. 76

 CHAPTER VI. 

 Coffee. --Turpentine. --Couroucous. --Pine-needles. --Three Volcanoes in sight at once. --The Carabus Family. --Scorpions. --Salamanders. --A midnight Disturbance. 89

 CHAPTER VII. 

 The Cats'-eyes Pomade. --Armadillo. --Lucien and the cruel Fern. --The fallen Mountain. --The Woodpecker. --The Basilisk. --L'Encuerado's fresh Idea. 104

 CHAPTER VIII. 

 A Vulture's Feast. --Dragon's Blood. --A Coral Serpent. --The Owl. --Mexican Moles. --Toucans. --The Scolopacidæ. --L'Encuerado turned Tailor. --Sunset. 119

 CHAPTER IX. 

 The South Wind. --The Hurricane. --A fearful Night. --The uprooted Giant. --The Sarsaparilla-plant. --Gringalet discovers a Spring. --Our Bivouac. 135

 CHAPTER X. 

 The Rabbit. --Wild Potatoes. --A difficult Path. --An extinct Crater. --Hoar-frost. --The Torrent. --The Fawn. --The Tettigones. --Dragon-flies. 148

 CHAPTER XI. 

 A blue Lizard. --The Guava-tree. --A Cataract. --Nest of yellow Serpents. --A vegetable Helmet. --The Kingfisher. --Hunting Water-fleas. --The Tadpole. --A Collection of Water-bugs. 164

 CHAPTER XII. 

 A Relation of Gringalet. --Our four-footed Guide. --A Review of our Party. --The Alligator-tortoise. --The Pheasants. --The Magnolia. --The Nutmeg-tree. --The Blue-plant. --The Caterpillar. 182

 CHAPTER XIII. 

 The Sensitive-plant. --Gringalet and the Porcupine. --The Mexican Chameleon. --The Kite and the Falcon. --An amphisbæna Snake. --A Council of Turkeys. 196

 CHAPTER XIV. 

 The Meteor. --God Almighty's Lanterns. --The Skunk. --The Jalap plant. --An aerial Journey. --The Orchids. --Bivouac in the Mouth of a Cave. --Gringalet and the Beetles. --A White Ants' Nest. 211

 CHAPTER XV. 

 Our Substitutes for Lamps. --First Glance into the Cave. --The Elaterides. --The Gothic Hall. --Stalagmites and Stalactites. --A Chichiquimec Cemetery. --The "Tree of St. Ignatius. "--The Opossum and its little ones. 235

 CHAPTER XVI. 

 The Earth-nuts. --A Wild-cat's Feast. --Another exploring Expedition to the Cave. --The Bats. --Excavations in a Tomb. 255

 CHAPTER XVII. 

 A forced March. --Wild-ducks. --Vegetable Soap. --An unwelcome Guest. 269

 CHAPTER XVIII. 

 Wild Dahlias. --A painful Misadventure. --The Euphorbia Plants. --The Washer Raccoon. --Surprised by a Torrent. --L'Encuerado turned Hat-maker. --New Method for driving out Evil Spirits. --The Anhinga. 282

 CHAPTER XIX. 

 The Black Iguana. --Another Country. --Reminiscences of Childhood. --The Mirage. --A Fire in the Plain. 299

 CHAPTER XX. 

 The Morning and Night Dew. --The Terre-Froide. --Water-spouts and Whirlwinds. --The Barbary Fig-trees. --The Cactus-plants. --The Viznaga. --Our Hopes disappointed. --Don Benito Coyotepec. 310

 CHAPTER XXI. 

 Black Skins and white Skins. --We have to turn Carpenters. --L'Encuerado chanting and preaching. --The Palm-leaves. --Vegetable Butter Tree. 326

 CHAPTER XXII. 

 Mexican Oak-apples. --A Stream lost in an Abyss. --The Wild Nasturtium. --Sportsmen deceived by Children. --The Grave-digging Beetles. --The Cochineal Insect. --Mexican Wine. --Good-bye to our Indian Hosts. 339

 CHAPTER XXIII. 

 Again on the Road. --The Bird-catching Spider. --The Marten and the Skunk. --The Flying Squirrel. --The Otter-hunt. --L'Encuerado wounded. 353

 CHAPTER XXIV. 

 A laborious Task. --Wild Lime-trees. --Pigeons. --The West India Cherry. --The Earwig. --Snakes and Serpents. --First Glance at the Terre-Chaude. 367

 CHAPTER XXV. 

 A Ground-squirrel. --A Mouse's Nest. --Humming-birds and their young ones. --The Locust-tree. --Mexican Wolves and their Retreat. 375

 CHAPTER XXVI. 

 The Path through the Forest. --A forced March. --The Bromelaceæ. --Mosquitoes. --The Water-plant. --The Promised Land. --A Band of Monkeys. 387

 CHAPTER XXVII. 

 L'Encuerado and the Parrots. --Gringalet meets a Friend. --The Cougar, or American Lion. --A Stream. --Our "Palm-tree Villa. "--Turtles' Eggs. --The Tantalus. --Herons and Flamingoes. 400

 CHAPTER XXVIII. 

 A Grove of Logwood trees. --Ants at their Work. --Parasitic Insects. --The Great Ant-eater. --Spoonbills and Herons. --Lost in the Forest. 415

 CHAPTER XXIX. 

 A nocturnal Visitor. --The Fall of a Tree. --A fearful Night. --The Monkeys. --Master Job. --All right at last. 428

 CHAPTER XXX. 

 We build a Raft. --The Horned Serpent. --Good-bye to "Palm-tree Villa. "--Mosquitoes and Horse-flies. --The Rattlesnake. --An Ocelot. 438

 CHAPTER XXXI. 

 The Hunters hunted. --Escape from Peccaries. --A Jaguar-hunt. --An Ibis. --The Caymans. --The Wild Bulls. 446

 CHAPTER XXXII. 

 The King of the Vultures. --The Ticks. --L'Encuerado frightened by a Demon. --The Tapirs. --Good-bye to the Stream. --The Puma's Prey. --A miserable Night. --Our Departure. --The Savannah. --Lucien carried in a Litter. --Hunger and Thirst. --We abandon our Baggage and Pets in Despair. 464

 CHAPTER XXXIII. 

 Thirst. --L'Encuerado's Return. --The Description of his Journey. --Janet, Verdet, and Rougette. --Hunting wild Horses. --Our last Adventure. --The Return. 483

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 

 FRONTISPIECE. 

 We were just then passing through a plantation PAGE 28

 At last, lagging a little, our party reached the foot of the mountains 44

 The basket and its bearer chased one another down the hill 50

 Almost immediately the foliage was pushed aside 56

 On hearing the uproar two Indian women came running towards us 65

 Behind us opened a dark, narrow ravine, with perpendicular sides 74

 We now entered one of those glades 82

 It was really a capital dinner 101

 The dog began to howl desperately 114

 A flock of vultures attracted our attention 121

 Lucien loudly called out to me 126

 Sumichrast halted near three gigantic stones 146

 A labyrinth of rocks brought us out in front of a stony rampart more than a hundred feet in height 152

 Sunset surprised us ere we had finished our labor 156

 A shrub kept him from falling into the gulf 169

 The cataract 174

 Fall of Ingénio (from a drawing by the Marquis of Radepoint) 177

 A tiger-cat bounded forward and seized the pheasant 191

 The kite avoided the shock, and continued to rise in the air. 202

 It looked like an immense pedestal, surmounted by two bronze statues 210

 Above us, the trees crossed their branches 218

 Then Sumichrast slid down the cord to the tree 223

 I then ordered the Indian to light the fire 227

 The wildest dreams could not picture a stranger style of architecture 241

 Five or six skulls seemed to glare at me through their empty orbits 245

 Crater of Popocatepetl 249

 Our two scouts climbed some enormous heaps of rocks 262

 The animal continued to retreat before him, and led him to the mouth of a cave 266

 They were at once saluted by a platoon fire 273

 I at once recognized the black sugar-cane snake 279

 Following in Indian file, we ascended the course of the stream 287

 The rocks came rolling down; dashing together under the impulse of a liquid avalanche 291

 L'Encuerado set to work to plait us hats 295

 I used to go iguana hunting with my brothers 301

 The moon rose, and rendered the illusion more striking 307

 The sand rose rapidly, whirling round and round 314

 Everywhere the cactus might be seen assuming twenty different shapes 318

 The water disappeared under a low arch 341

 Four children appeared 346

 An animal came tumbling down about ten paces from us 358

 The sun was just setting 362

 L'Encuerado was pressing his arm and uttering cries of pain 365

 The _Terre-Chaude_ was stretched out at my feet 373

 And the Indian went away, saluting 379

 I threw a stone at the beast 383

 There was a whole tribe of monkeys frolicking about 397

 I looked in vain for the cougar 403

 L'Encuerado turned three somersets 407

 It stood up on its hind legs 417

 The bank to the right was covered with cranes, and that to the left with spoonbills 422

 The head and bright eyes of a superb jaguar appeared about fifty paces from us 426

 We now came upon some creeping plants 430

 The monkey slid down, and fell dead at our feet 435

 In front of us opened a glade, bordered by tall palm-trees 442

 A band of peccaries were pursuing us 447

 The banks of the river were covered with alligators 454

 The Indian and his branch descended with a splash into the river 458

 The entire drove dashed at full gallop into the stream 461

 The reeds were pushed aside 468

 The deer sank down under the weight of a puma 472

 While the moon dimly lighted up the landscape. 475

 Lucien began to repeat to the parrots the names of Hortense and Emile 479

 We had to cross some muddy marshes 486

Also numerous Woodcuts embodied in, and illustrative of, the text. 

[Illustration: Decoration]

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INTRODUCTION. 

The evening before leaving for one of my periodical excursions, I wasputting in order my guns, my insect-cases, and all my travellingnecessaries, when my eldest son, a lad nine years old, came running tome in that wheedling manner--using that irresistible diplomacy ofchildhood which imposes on fathers and mothers so many troublesometreaties, and which children so well know how to assume when they desireto obtain a favor. 

"Are you going to make as long a journey as you did last month?" heasked. 

"Longer, I think; for, as we are so soon leaving for Europe, I want tocomplete my collection as rapidly as possible. I know you will be agood boy during my absence, and obedient to your mother. You will thinkof me sometimes, will you not?"

"I should much prefer _not_ to think of you, " he responded. 

"You would rather, then, that I staid at Orizava?"

"Oh no; I should like you to go, and--to go with you. "

"What can you be thinking of? Before we were a mile on the road youwould be knocked up, complaining of heat, thirst, fatigue--"

"That's quite a mistake, dear father. I know I should be very useful toyou, if you would only take me. I could pick up wood, light the fire, and look after the cooking, besides catching butterflies and insects, both for your collection and mine. "

"That's all very well; but the first time you were scratched by a thornyou would cry. "

"Oh father! I promise you I will never cry, except when--I can't helpit. "

I could not resist smiling at this answer. 

"Then it is a settled thing, and I am to go with you, " exclaimed Lucien. 

"We must consult your mother, and if she sees no objection, I--"

The child ran off without allowing me to finish my sentence. 

While I went on cleaning my guns, I found that I was pleading withmyself in favor of the little would-be traveller. I also remembered thatwhen I was only seven years old I had travelled long distances on footin company with my father, and to this early habit owed much of thepower of accomplishing dangerous and fatiguing journeys, which wouldhave frightened stronger men. I even persuaded myself that it would beuseful, before leaving Mexico, to impress the memory of my son with asight of some of the grand scenes of tropical nature, so that he shouldretain correct ideas of the wonderful country in which his infancy hadbeen spent. I moreover knew that l'Encuerado, the gallant Indian who hadbeen my servant for so many years, perfectly adored his young master, and would watch over him just as I should, and thus ward off anypossible mishaps. On the other hand, I risked inspiring my son with thatlove of travel and adventure which had contributed materially to myscientific collection, but very little to my fortune. Nevertheless, whata wholesome influence is exercised over the mind by an almost unceasingstruggle with the difficulties that beset one's course through anunknown country. Both the mind and body of my son must surely benefit bysuch an excursion, which might be curtailed if desirable. Soon after theboy returned, accompanied by his mother. 

"What is all this about a journey, for which my consent is the onlyrequisite?" asked my wife. 

"Mine is needed too, " I answered. 

"Why not take him, dear? L'Encuerado has promised me that he will notlose sight of him for an instant. "

"What! do _you_ take his part?"

"He does long so much to go with you, " she said. 

"Be it so, " I replied. "Get your clothes ready, for we must be off theday after to-morrow at daybreak. "

Lucien was almost beside himself with joy. He rushed about the housefrom one end to the other; gave the servants much unnecessary trouble;leggings, boots, and a game-bag, he wanted; also a sword, a knife, insect-cases--in fact, a whole multitude of requirements. L'Encuerado, who was almost as rejoiced as the lad, cut him a travelling-staff, asstrong and light as was requisite, and made him other auxiliariesnecessary on such excursions. From this moment forward, Lucien wasconstantly running and climbing about all the rooms and the yards roundthe house, to accustom himself, as he said, to the fatigue of a longjourney. At dinner-time he would take nothing but bread and water, inorder to prepare his system for the meagre fare of the bivouac. In fact, I had to quiet him down by recommending more coolness to his excitedlittle brain. 

The eve of our departure arrived, and several friends came to bid mefarewell. My son told them of all the great things he had determined toachieve--how he would crush the heads of scorpions, and with his swordcut down trees or kill serpents. 

"If I tumble over the rocks, " said he, "I shall only laugh at mybruises; and if we meet with any tigers--"[A]

An extremely warlike attitude terminated this sentence. 

Ceasing at length from want of further words, he would very willinglyhave reduced to silence, with his sword, those who disapproved of myproject of taking into the forests and savannahs my child of nine yearsold, and exposing him to all the unknown dangers of savage life--tofatigue, rain, and all kinds of maladies! Why, it appeared like temptingProvidence, and risking, for mere amusement, the life, or at least thehealth, of my child. The unanimity of these reflections began to shakemy resolution, and I expressed myself to that effect. 

"Oh father!" cried Lucien, "are you going to break your word to me?"

"No, " I replied; "neither now nor ever. I want you to become a man, soyou shall go. But be off to bed, for you must be ready to start by fouro'clock in the morning. "

I had given notice of my intended tour to my friend FrançoisSumichrast, a Swiss _savant_, well known for his discoveries in naturalhistory, in whose company I had undertaken several journeys. About teno'clock at night, I began to fancy my letter of information hadmiscarried, when a knock at the door startled me, and I soon recognizedthe happy voice of my friend. He had come expressly from Cordova, inorder to make one in our little expedition. I told him all my doubts andfears about my boy, but he quite took the part of the young traveller;almost what I might have expected from a companion of Töpffer. 

"Come here, " he cried to Lucien, who, half-undressed, had just peeped inat the door. 

The boy ran to him, and my friend, whose stature much exceeded theaverage, lifted him up and embraced him as an ally. 

"At your age, " said Sumichrast, "I had made the tour of Switzerland, mybag on my back, and had tried my teeth on bears'-steaks. I predict thatyou will behave like a man. Shall I be wrong?"

"Oh no, M. Sumichrast. "

"Can you live without eating and drinking?"

"I will do all you do. "

"That's well; now go to bed. If you keep your word, when we return in amonth's time you'll be a prodigy. "

Next morning Lucien was up and ready long before day-break, andcomplained of our tardiness. He was dressed in a jacket and breeches ofblue cloth, with his Mexican cloak over them; he carried in his belt asword ready sharpened, to cut his way through the creeping plants; whileover his shoulder was passed the strap of a game-pouch, containing aknife, a cup, and a change of under-clothing. The broad-brimmed hat, or_sombrero_, on his head, gave him a most determined air. I had almostforgotten the famous travelling-staff which for the last two days hadbeen resounding against all the floors in the house. L'Encuerado, aMistec Indian, and an old tiger-hunter, who, through a thousand dangersfaced in common, had become much attached to my person, at last made hisappearance, clad in a leathern jacket and breeches, which had given himhis name of "_Encuerado_. "[B] The brave and adventurous Indian wasalmost beside himself with joy at the idea of conducting into the forestthe child whom he had known from his cradle. On his back he fastened abasket containing our main stock of provisions--such as coffee, salt, pepper, dried maize, cakes, etc. Lucien's younger brother and sister hadjumped out of bed, and were dancing all round us: the latter seemedsomewhat sad and uneasy, but the former was dissatisfied, manfullyasserting that he, too, was quite big enough to go with us. 

At the last moment my poor wife lost all her courage, and regretted shehad ever given her consent; but when Lucien saw the tears which hisdeparture had called forth, he became heroic in his self-denial, throwing aside his hat and stick. 

"Mother, " he cried, embracing her in his arms, "I will not go away if itmakes you cry. "

"All right, then; I will go instead, " said his brother Emile, who ranand picked up the stick and hat, and then walked towards the outer door, utterly disregarding his bedroom costume. 

"No, no, " said my wife; "I will not be the means of depriving you of somuch pleasure. "

The kind mother again kissed her child, and commended him anew to ourjoint care. 

I led off my little companion; but when we got into the court-yard, Ihad to exercise all my authority to make his younger brother give upthe stick and hat he had taken possession of. When restitution waseffected, the two children kissed each other, and parted friends. 

At last the outer gate was passed, and our footsteps rang through thequiet streets of Orizava. We were commencing the first stage of ourjourney in pursuit of scientific discoveries. 

[Illustration: Decoration]

FOOTNOTES:

[A] The jaguar (_Leopardus onca_, Linn. ) is frequently called a tiger inAmerica. The tiger (_Tigris regalis_) is not found on thatcontinent. --ED. 

[B] _Encuerado_, in Spanish, means both _naked_ and _clad in leather_. 

[Illustration]

CHAPTER I. 

WHO WE ARE. --GRINGALET. --SUNRISE. --THE SUGAR-CANE. --A HALT. 

It was the 20th April, 1864. The clock of the church of the convent ofSaint Joseph de Grace chimed 4 A. M. Just as we turned into the mainstreet that leads out of the town. 

Sumichrast took the lead. Tall in stature, noble in mien, andbroad-shouldered, he was, in spite of his blue eyes and fair hair, theperfect representative of moral and bodily strength. I was always in thehabit of permitting him to lead the way, when, in any of our excursions, it was necessary to favorably impress the imagination of the Indians. Hewas distinguished as an ornithologist, and was never so much at home asin the midst of the forests; in fact, he often regretted that he hadnot been born an Indian. His gravity entirely devoid of sadness, hisskill in shooting, and his silent laugh, often led me to compare him toCooper's "Leather-Stocking;" but it was "Leather-Stocking" become a manof the world and of science. 

[Illustration]

Next let me describe my son. Like all children, he was imitative, so hadcommenced very early to make a collection of insects, and this wassufficient to give him a precocious taste for natural history; but inhis character he was earnest and reflective, and very eager forknowledge. Sumichrast took pleasure in the boy's intelligence, and oftenamused himself by arguing with him. From the flashes of childish humorwhich he would display on such occasions, my friend sometimes gave himthe nickname of "Sun-beam. "

Next to the child came l'Encuerado, an Indian of the Mistec race--astrange mixture of delicacy, simplicity, kindness, candor, andobstinacy. In the interval that had elapsed since I first met him, twelve years before, in the Terre-Chaude, he had become my friend asmuch as my servant. But he was never happy in a town, and was alwayspraising wild life, even the inconveniences of the solitudes in which hehad been born. 

[Illustration]

"What a pity that it is so dark, " said Lucien, whom Sumichrast wasleading by the hand. 

"For what reason do you wish for daylight?" I asked. 

"Why? Because every one is asleep now, and none of my friends will seeme pass with my sword, my gourd, and my game-pouch. "

"So you think that your travelling-costume would make your companionsenvious?--that's not a kind feeling. "

"No, father; I should like them to see me, certainly; but I don't wantto give pain to any one. "

We passed along the foot of Borrego, the mountain which has become sofamous, owing to the conflict which took place there between sixtyFrench soldiers and two thousand Mexicans, and had just reached thegateway of Angostura when a dog ran past, but soon returned, barking andfawning upon us in every way. It was Gringalet, an elegantly althoughstrongly made greyhound, which had been a companion of my boy's frominfancy, l'Encuerado having brought him up "by hand" for his youngmaster. Gringalet was an orphan from the time of his birth, and hadfound in the Indian a most attentive foster-parent. Three times a day hegave his adopted child milk through a piece of rag tied over the neck ofa bottle. The dog had grown up by the side of his young master; many atime, doubtless, he had snatched from his hands the half-eaten cake, butsuch casualties were only a temporary check upon their mutualattachment. He manifested, therefore, a decided preference for threeobjects--Lucien, his nurse, and bottles in general. I was at firstrather vexed that the poor beast should have taken upon himself theliberty of joining our expedition, so I tried to drive him back. Gringalet ran to take refuge by the side of Lucien, with ears laid back, and one paw raised; and looked at me with such mild eyes, so full ofsupplication, that I could not find it in my heart to carry out myintention. Sumichrast and l'Encuerado both interceded for the animal, which, crouching and wagging his tail, came and lay down humbly at myfeet. Lucien, who was afraid I should behave harshly to his favorite, hid his face in his hands. I was vanquished. 

"Come along, then, and let us take Gringalet!" I said. 

So I caressed the dog, which, clearly seeing that he had gained hiscause, bounded along the road in the most extravagant leaps, clearlyindicative of his emotions of pleasure. In spite of all his efforts tokeep them back, tears escaped from Lucien's eyes, and I had to turn myhead away to avoid having to recall the promise he made to refrain fromcrying. But, nevertheless, although I wished him to learn how to bearstoically any physical suffering, I had no desire to quench in him theevidences of a feeling heart--that potent source of our sweetestpleasure and our bitterest sorrow. 

The gates of the town were still closed. On arriving in front of theguard-house, I rapped at the window to awake the old man, the guardianof the keys of the town. 

"Won't he open the gate for us? Shall we be obliged to go home again?Can't we start to-day, M. Sumichrast?" eagerly asked Lucien. 

"Keep quiet, " replied Sumichrast; "the porter is an old man, and we aredisturbing him earlier than we ought, which always puts him a little outof temper. However active we may be, it is a good thing to know 'how towait. '"

At last the door-keeper made his appearance, the chains dropped one byone, the heavy gate turned on its hinges, and Lucien was the first tospring out into the open road. The sky was starless, the morning dewchilled our blood, and we felt that uncomfortable feeling which, in thetropics, affects the traveller just at the period when night gives placeto day. I led Lucien by the hand, lest, in the dim light, he might fall. He shivered with cold, but was unwilling to complain; I stepped onquickly in order that he might get warm. Perhaps, just at this moment, he regretted his little bed, and thought of the cup of warm chocolatewhich his mother often used to bring him as soon as he awoke; but, unmurmuring, he retained his place by my side. 

Beyond the village of Ingenio, a brisk south wind blew the dust in ourfaces and retarded our speed. All round the trees bent before thesquall, and the large plantain leaves flew about, torn into ribbons. Wenow turned to the right, and crossed a prairie. L'Encuerado requiredbreath, for his load weighed at least eighty pounds, although, likeÆsop's burden, it would surely get lighter at every meal. An enormousrock, which had tumbled down from one of the surrounding mountainscenturies past, offered us a retreat sheltered from the wind. At thismoment a line of purple edging the eastern horizon announced the dawn ofday. 

"Come here, " I called to Lucien. 

And taking the lad between my knees, I said, "You see that bright band of light which looks almost as if the horizonwas on fire? Well, from the middle of it the sun is just going to rise. At this very moment, in Europe, it is almost noonday; but, asrecompense, they will have dark night when it is three o'clock in theafternoon here, and we shall be pushing along, overwhelmed with the heatof an almost vertical sun. The red line is now getting wider and paler;it is more like a golden mist. But turn round and look at the mountaintops. "

The child uttered a half-surprised cry; although we were in comparativeobscurity, the ridges of the Cordilleras seemed all on fire. 

"Do you understand that phenomenon?" asked Sumichrast. 

"Yes; for I know the earth is round, and these mountains, which arehigher than we are, of course first catch the rays of the sun. "

The day broke, and a burning glow suffused the horizon; in a few minutesthe sun rose and inundated us with light. The birds began to chant theirmorning song, and the eagles, careering from every mountain top, soaredabove our heads. The sunbeams twinkled through the dew-drops, and thegrass of the prairie seemed decked with diamonds. Black vultures, whichsoared even higher than the eagles and the kites, traced out in the bluesky the immense curves of their majestic flight. On every bush insectsspread their gauzy wings; perhaps they felt that not a minute should belost by beings whose birth, life, and death are all comprised in onesingle day. 

"Oh!" cried Lucien, "as soon as we get home I shall tell mamma howbeautiful is sunrise! Is it not a shame that so many of us sleep throughthe hour when this lovely prospect can only be enjoyed?"

I was obliged to cut short the little fellow's admiration--an admirationI also shared. Each resumed his load; and now, in spite of the wind, weall felt eager to advance. Gringalet, as glad as we were at the returnof day, frisked round Lucien, barking, jumping over ditches, and rollingin the dust in his wild gambols. Our young companion began imitating hisfrolics; but I soon called him to order, for our day's journey was to beas much as six to seven leagues, and it was necessary to prevent Lucienfatiguing himself unnecessarily. 

"You always go either too quickly or too slowly, " said Sumichrast to theboy; "travellers, like soldiers, must walk at a regular pace, so as toreach their halting-place without more than necessary fatigue. Come--form in line! That's well; now, on we go!"

[Illustration: "We were just then passing through a plantation. "]

Lucien measured his steps by those of his instructor. It was mostamusing to see him trying to keep a pace quite at variance with thelength of his short legs. 

"Halt!" cried Sumichrast; "you can hardly imagine your legs are as longas mine. Perhaps in about ten years' time you may enjoy that privilege;but, in the mean time, walk naturally--without either effort or hurry. One, two, three!--now you are perfect. Keep on without noticing me; youcan't walk at my pace, so I must take to yours. "

As our journey was to extend to the distance of three hundred leagues, it was quite requisite that the boy should accustom himself to a regularstep. After several attempts this was accomplished, and all progressedtogether. 

We now directed our course towards the heights. Our intention was tomake our way into the Cordillera, and, passing round the volcano ofOrizava, to descend into the savannahs beyond, slanting off to the leftso as ultimately to reach the sea. Then we thought of traversing theprairies and forests of the Terre-Chaude, so as again to come to ourstarting-point through the mountains of Songolica. This circuit wouldrepresent a journey of a hundred and fifty leagues as the crow flies, orat least three hundred leagues, reckoning all the circuits and bends weshould be obliged to make. During this long expedition, we had made upour minds to seek, when opportunity offered, the hospitality of anyIndian villages that might come in our road, and only when absolutelynecessary to camp in the open air. 

About eleven, the heat became overpowering, and Lucien began to inquireabout breakfast. We were just then passing through a plantation, I mightalmost say a forest of sugar-canes. The stems of the plants were eitherof a yellowish hue or veined with blue, and were more than six feethigh. The latter kind will ultimately supersede its rival; for thecultivators assert that, although not so large, it affords a much morecertain crop. L'Encuerado, seizing his _machete_ (a straight and a shortcutlass, indispensable to the inhabitants of the Terre-Chaude), cut downa magnificent stem, and, peeling it, offered each of us a piece. Thesugar-cane is extremely hard, and it is necessary to cut it up in orderto break the cellules in which the sweet juice is contained. Mycompanions set to work to chew the pith of the valuable plant; and evenGringalet seemed to be just as fond of it as they were. 

Not far from the cane-field, some Indians were working on a newplantation. The ground was covered with ashes. The foreman explained tous that when the canes are cut down, the first thing is to pull off thelong leaves, which are left on the ground. In eight days this rubbish isdried by the tropical sun; they then set them on fire, and the asheswhich result serve as manure. Five or six Aztecs were cultivating thisapparently sterile ground by means of a primitive kind of plough, madeof a mere stake attached to circular discs of wood forming spokelesswheels; it was drawn by two oxen yoked together. 

Sumichrast took Lucien by the hand. 

"In future, " said he, "when you crunch a lump of sugar, you shall knowsomething of the manufacture of what you are eating. The sugar-cane iscalled, in Latin, _Saccharum officinale_, that is, 'druggist's sugar, 'because the product of this plant was so rare that it was sold only atthe druggists' shops. The plant itself is said to be a native of India, and is, as you see, a tuft of vegetation, from which spring six totwenty tall stalks, with joints varying, both in number and in distance, from each other. The most esteemed variety, the Tahiti cane, is stripedwith violet. The specimen you are looking at is one of the mostremarkable as regards size, for it must be nearly thirteen feet high. "

"It is like a stalk of maize, " said the boy. 

"That's true, except that maize has only one stem. Look, there's anIndian about to cut down the very plant I was showing you; he hassevered it through obliquely at a single blow, as near the ground aspossible. Now he is stripping off the leaves, and with another blow ofhis weapon lops away the green top, which is used for fodder. Next, hecuts it in lengths, taking care to sever it between the knots, as theyare required for planting new ground. "

"Planting!" repeated Lucien; "the knots are not seed?"

"No, Master 'Sunbeam;' the seed of the sugar-cane comes to maturity tooslowly. It takes four years to produce a plant from it which isprofitable. Now, as young fellows of your kind are rather numerous, andconsume a good many preserves and sugar-plums, it is highly necessary todevise some rapid method of supplying the sugar you devour. This methodhas been found out. Each of these pieces of cane will be stuck into theearth, and the knot, from which in the open air the leaves spring, willsend down roots into the soil. Small as it is, it will grow vigorously;and in a year, or eighteen months at most, it will have produced a dozenstalks quite as fine as the one you have been looking at. "

During this long explanation l'Encuerado, who, on account of his load, disliked standing still, had kept moving, so we had to increase our paceto catch him up. As we were passing on, Lucien saw the Indian plantingthe very pieces of cane he had just observed cut up. Ere long we cameupon a fresh plantation, in which the tender shoots, almost like grass, appeared over the ground. Sumichrast dug a little hole round one of theplants, and showed to his wondering pupil that the fragment of the stemwas already provided with small rootlets. 

Suddenly, at the turn of a path, I was saluted by a man on horseback. It was the steward of the estate that we were crossing. 

"Hallo! Don Luciano, where are you off to with all that train?" criedthe new-comer. 

"To visit the forest of the Cordillera, " I replied. 

"May you travel safely! but is the young gentleman going with you?"

"Yes, to be sure. Good-bye, Antonio, till we meet again!"

"Till we meet again? By my word, you shall not say that just yet. Thegoodwife has some eggs and fried beans ready for breakfast; and I oughtto have some bottles of Spanish wine, in which we'll drink to yourpleasant journey, unless you're too proud to accept the hospitality of apoor man. "

Being very hungry, with pleasure we accepted this cordial invitation. The steward further insisted upon taking our little traveller up infront of him. The child was only too pleased. 

"Oh dear!" said Sumichrast; "why, it's spoiling the boy at the outset. "

"It will be half a league the less for his poor legs, " said Antonio;and, spurring his horse, he galloped off with Lucien to get ourbreakfast ready. 

Gringalet was in consternation at his young master's departure. Raisinghis intelligent face, he seemed as if he wished to question us, andpricked up his ears as if to listen to the sound of the horse's feetdying away in the distance. At last he raised a plaintive howl, andstarted off in pursuit. 

Surprised at not seeing l'Encuerado, I turned back, fancying he hadremained behind. I was expecting to see him appear, when Sumichrastburst out laughing. At a turn of the road he had caught a sight of thehorseman, with the dog on one side and the Indian on the other, who, inspite of his load, kept up without difficulty. 

This feat on the part of my servant did not much surprise me, for I donot think that in the whole world there are any more indefatigablerunners than the Mistec Indians. 

At twelve o'clock, just as the bell was calling home the laborers, Ientered the courtyard of the sugar-mill, where I caught sight of myyoungster sitting on the ground, with his dog at his feet, looking withrapture at some ducks that were enjoying themselves in a muddy pool. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER II. 

SUGAR. --GRINGALET IN THE MOLASSES TANK. --L'ENCUERADO'S OBSTINATEIDEA. --AN INDIAN SUPPER. 

The breakfast was a cheerful one, thanks to the Spanish wine spoken ofby our host. The Indian laborers, with their wives and children, assembled in inquisitive groups round the windows of the dwelling. Lucien certainly carried the day, for he it was that they chiefly soughtto see. As for Gringalet, he was much less cordially received by hisbrother-dogs belonging to the place; consequently, he scarcely left hisyoung master's side, and showed his teeth incessantly. 

Sumichrast wishing, before we set out again, to explain to his pupil howsugar was made, took him to the mill, situated in a wide rotunda. Heretwo upright wooden cylinders, fitting close to one another, revolved ona pivot, set in action by means of two oxen yoked together, crushing thecanes which an Aztec[C] was introducing between them. The machinegroaned, and seemed almost ready to fall to pieces under the impetus ofthe powerful animals, which were urged on both by voice and gesture. Lucien remarked that the canes were cut in lengths of about a yard, andbevelled off at the ends, so as to be more readily caught between thetwo cylinders. After having been subjected to this heavy pressure, theycame out squeezed almost dry, and the sweet juice, or _sirup_, floweddown into a large trough hollowed out of the trunk of a tree. 

As soon as this receptacle was full of juice, an enormous valve wasopened, and the turbid, muddy-looking liquid flowed along a trench, andemptied into a brick reservoir. On its way it passed through the meshesof a coarse bag, and was thus roughly filtered; it was then conveyedinto immense coppers placed over a hot furnace. The fragments of crushedcane, having been rapidly dried in the sun, were used to feed the firewhich boiled the juice so lately squeezed out of them. 

Near the aloe-fibre filtering-bag, in front of which the morsels of caneand rubbish constantly accumulated, stood a little boy about twelveyears old, whose duty it was to keep the passage clear. Lucien pulled mycoat, to call my attention to the fact that the lad had only one arm. 

"How did you lose your left arm, pobricito?" I asked. 

"Between the crushers, señor. "

"Was it your own fault?"

"Alas! yes. My father looked after the machine, and I helped him todrive the oxen; and he had forbidden my going near the cylinders. Oneday he went away for a few minutes, and I tried to put a piece of canebetween the rollers; but my finger caught, and my arm was drawn in andcrushed. "

"It was a terrible punishment for your disobedience, " I said. 

"More terrible than you think, señor. My father died six months ago, andI have several little brothers. If I had both my arms, I could earn aquarter of a piastre a day, and also help my mother. "

"How much do they give you for watching this filtering-bag from morningtill night?"

"Only a medio, "[D] he answered. 

I looked hard at Lucien, who threw himself into my arms. 

"Oh! I will always obey you, " he cried, with emotion; "but do allow meto give all the money in my purse to this little boy. "

"Give him a piastre, my boy; we shall meet with others in want, and youmust reserve something for them. "

"Oh! young gentleman, " said the poor mutilated lad, looking with wonderat the coin which represented sixteen days' work, "we will all pray foryou!"

And he hurried to clear out the bag, which was already too full. 

The process adopted in the sugar-mill we speak of was of most primitivesimplicity. The European manufacturers employ iron cylinders turned bysteam or water power; also lift and force pumps, which quickly conveythe sap into the basins in which it is to be clarified by fermentation. 

But for comprehending easily all the operations required in theextraction of sugar, Antonio's _hacienda_, in which every thing was donebefore our eyes, was much preferable to any of the modern mills providedwith all kinds of improved apparatus. 

When our young traveller saw the thick, muddy, and turbid liquid, whichwas being stirred up by a gigantic "agitator, " he could hardly believethat it could ever produce the beautiful white crystal with which he wasso well acquainted. 

"But where's the sugar?" he eagerly asked. 

"There, in front of you, " replied Sumichrast. "The sugar-cane, like allother vegetables, contains a certain quantity of liquid, in which thesugar is held in a state of solution; if this is removed, prismaticcrystals immediately form. Look now! the contents of the copper are justbeginning to boil, and are covered with a blackish scum, which iscarefully skimmed off; for in three or four days, when it has fermented, it will produce, by means of distillation, the ardent spirit whichl'Encuerado is so fond of. The cloud of steam which is rising above thecopper shows that the juice is evaporating; in a few minutes more itwill be converted into sirup, and will ultimately form crystals. Comeand see the result of the last operation. "

We entered a large gallery, in which a number of moulds--made of bakedearth and shaped like reversed sugar-loaves--were ranged in lines underthe beams, like bottles in a bottle-rack. Into these, which had beenpreviously moistened, some laborers were pouring the boiling sirup. Alittle farther on we were shown what had been boiled the day before, andwas crystallizing, assisted in the process by an Indian, who stirred itslowly. From a trough, open at the lower end, a thick liquid wasflowing, called "molasses, " or treacle, which is used for making rum, gingerbread, and for other purposes. The lowest part of the sugar-loafseemed, also, to be yellow and sticky. 

Passing through a dark passage, Lucien noticed two half-naked laborers, who were moistening clay and converting it into a kind of dough. 

"What a nasty mess!" he cried, with a self-satisfied tone. "What wouldmamma say, if she was here? It was only the other day she gave mybrother and sister a good scolding. "

"What was it for?" I asked. 

"For mixing up mud to build a town and reservoir in the long passage inour house. "

"What part did you take in it?"

"Oh, I was architect; but I was scolded as much as the others. "

"That I can readily believe, " replied Sumichrast, who could hardly keephis gravity; "but come, let us follow these laborers, and you will soonsee that they are not mixing up this mud for mere pleasure. "

To his great surprise, our little traveller saw them filling up, with adark-colored liquid, the empty part of the moulds, from which themolasses had drained away. 

"They are spoiling the sugar-loaves!" he cried. 

"Quite the contrary; they are going to whiten it. The water that iscontained in the clay will filter gradually through the sugar, and willdrive before it the molasses that is left round the crystals; and thisoperation, several times repeated, will produce that spongy kind ofsugar which is well known to retain a flavor of the cane, ratherdisliked by Europeans accustomed to the finer products of theirrefineries. "

The only department we now had to visit was the "drying-room, " wherethe sugar-loaves are piled up to dry, and wait for a purchaser. 

In our way thither we nearly fell into an immense reservoir, level withthe surface of the ground, and full of molasses; the scum floating onthe top so exactly resembled the rough and sticky floor of thesugar-mill that it was easy to make a mistake. Gringalet was unfortunateenough to be the cause of our avoiding this accident. Restless, like allhis kind, he ran smelling about in every direction, just as if he wastrying to find some lost object: forcing his way between our legs, toget in front of us, he suddenly disappeared in the thick liquid. Ipulled him out directly; but as soon as he was on his feet, he rolledover and over on the ground, so that when he stood up his coat wasbristling with pieces of straw and wood; in fact, he scarcely lookedlike a dog at all. I called him towards the pond outside, but the poorbrute was quite blind and confused, and did not seem to hear. As amatter of course, all the laborers raised shouts of laughter; but poorLucien, fancying that his dog was going to die, followed him in despair. Gringalet, no doubt wishing to comfort his young master, leaped upon himand covered him with caresses, and of course with saccharine matter, inwhich he so lately had a bath. As it was too late for any other course, I made up my mind to laugh, like every one else. While l'Encuerado waswashing the dog, our hostess cleaned the boy's clothes, soon after whichwe resumed our journey. 

Don Antonio, like a real Mexican, pitied us for having to travel on footlike Indians; he especially commiserated our young companion, andthought, indeed, that we were very cruel. 

"He must learn to use his legs; that's the reason why God gave them tohim, " said Sumichrast, who delighted in an argument with the steward. 

"What good are horses, then?"

"To break your neck. Besides, there are plenty of infirmities in lifewithout making one out of the horse. "

"The horse an infirmity!" cried the Mexican. 

"Yes, certainly--among your caste at least; for you could no more dowithout a horse than a cripple without his crutch. "

Don Antonio whistled without making any reply, and, untying his horse, took Lucien up in front, and accompanied us for more than a league. Atlast, as his duties called him home, he shook us by the hand and turnedback. Even after we had lost sight of him, we could still hear himwishing us a pleasant journey. 

We had to cross a wide prairie; the heat was suffocating, and we marchedon side by side in dead silence. Lucien's walking was much hindered byhis game-pouch and gourd, which, in spite of all his efforts, would workround in front of him. I soon noticed that he had got rid of thetroublesome gear. 

"Hallo!" I cried, "what have you done with your provisions?"

"L'Encuerado wished to carry them for me. "

"L'Encuerado's load is quite heavy enough now, and you must getaccustomed to your own. In a few days you won't feel it. Habit makesmany things easy which at first seem impossible. "

"Señor, " said l'Encuerado, "Chanito (this was the name he gave toLucien) is tired, and this is his first journey; I'll give him back allhis things to-morrow. "

"It will be much better for him to get accustomed to them now. Give himback his baggage, it is not too heavy for him; if you don't, you will bethe one to be scolded. "

The Indian grumbled before he obeyed; then, taking the boy by the hand, dropped behind, muttering to him:

"When you don't want to walk any more, Chanito, you must tell me, andyou shall ride on the top of my pack. "

"No, " said I, turning round; "if you do any thing of the kind, I willsend both of you home. "

"My shoulders are my own, " replied the Indian, earnestly; "surely I havea right to employ them as I choose. "

Sumichrast burst out laughing at this logic, and I was obliged to go onin front, or I should have done the same. Nevertheless, I feared lestLucien should learn, on the very first day of his journey, to depend toomuch on l'Encuerado's kindness. I was, therefore, pleased to hear himrefuse several times the Indian's offer of putting him up on his pack, an idea which the faithful fellow persisted in with an obstinacy which Ihad long known him to possess. A little time after--thinking, doubtless, that his dignity compelled him to prove that he was easily able toincrease the weight of his load--he seized Gringalet, who was walkingclose behind lolling out his tongue, and throwing the dog up on hisback, and commencing an Indian trot, ran by us with a triumphant look. Gringalet was at first taken by surprise, and, raising a cry ofdistress, wanted to jump down; but he soon sat quiet enough, withoutdisplaying any uneasiness, to the great joy of my son, who was muchamused at the incident. 

The plain which we were crossing seemed absolutely interminable. 

"It's no use our walking, " said Lucien; "we don't appear to make anyadvance. "

"Fortunately, you are mistaken, " replied Sumichrast. "Look in front ofyou, and you will see that the trees on ahead, which a short time agolooked like one uninterrupted mass of foliage, can now be discernedseparately. "

"You mean the forest which we can see from here?"

"What you take for a forest is nothing but a few trees scattered aboutthe plain. "

"Isn't M. Sumichrast wrong in that, father?"

"No, my boy; but those who have more experience than you might well bemistaken, for when objects are seen at a distance they always seem toblend together in a group. This morning, for instance, when we werewalking along the main road, you were always exclaiming that it ended ina point; but you were convinced that your eyes deceived you. It is justthe same now: these trees appear to be farther apart in proportion as weapproach them; and you will be quite surprised presently when you seehow distant they are from each other. The same illusion is produced bythe stars, which are millions of miles apart, and yet appear so thick inthe sky, that your brother Emile was regretting, the other night, thathe was not tall enough to grasp a handful of them. "

"And don't forget, " added Sumichrast, "that light and imagination oftencombine to deceive us. "

"Just as in the fable of the 'Camels and the floating sticks. '"

"Bravo! my young scholar; you've heard that fable?"

"Yes. One evening I was going into a dimly-lighted room, and I fancied Isaw a great gray man seated in a chair; I cried out, and ran away, afraid. Then papa took me by the hand and led me into the dark roomagain, and I found that the giant which had frightened me so much wasnothing but a pair of trowsers, thrown over the back of an arm-chair. The next day mamma made me learn the fable of the 'Camels. '"

[Illustration: "At last, lagging a little, our party reached the foot ofthe mountains. "]

On our road I called Lucien's attention to a small thorny shrub, a kindof mimosa, called _huizachi_ by the Indians, who use its pods for dyeingblack cloth, and for making a tolerably useful ink. The plain assumed bydegrees a less monotonous aspect. Butterflies began to hover round us, and our young naturalist wanted to commence insect-hunting. Irestrained his ardor, as I wished to keep our boxes and needles free forthe rarer species which we might expect to find as soon as we hadreached more uninhabited districts. At last, lagging a little, our partyreached the foot of the mountains. 

It was now five o'clock; night was coming on, so it was highly necessaryto look out for shelter. We came in view of a bamboo-hut in the nick oftime. An old Indian was reclining in front of it, warming his meagrelimbs in the rays of the setting sun, clad in nothing but a pair ofdrawers and a hat with a torn brim. He rose as we came near, andproffered us hospitality. His wife, whose costume consisted of a cottonshirt edged with red thread, came running in answer to his call, and wasquite in raptures at the prettiness of the "little white traveller, " whocompletely ingratiated himself by saluting her in her own language. Wehad accomplished a journey of seven leagues, although Lucien, thanks toDon Antonio's horse, had not walked quite so far. 

The aborigines set before us rice and beans. After this frugal repast, washed down with cold water, I wanted Lucien to lie down on a large mat;but the restless little being took advantage of his elders beingcomfortably stretched out to sleep, and ran off to see our hostess'sfowls roosting for the night on a dead tree, and then to prowl up anddown in company with l'Encuerado. The latter had ferreted out athree-corded guitar which was in the hut, and strummed away at the sametune for hours together--no doubt to the great pleasure of the boy, although to us it was quite the reverse. 

At last our bedding was unrolled, and I enjoined repose on all. Gringalet couched down in the hut, at the feet of his young master. L'Encuerado, however, preferred sleeping in the open air, only toohappy, as he said, to see the sky above, and to feel the wind blowstraight into his face without having to be filtered through walls andwindows. 

FOOTNOTES:

[C] Two grotesque little phenomena were once shown in London and Parisas specimens of the Aztec race. When I speak of Aztecs, my young readersmay perhaps think I allude to these dwarfs. I will therefore state, oncefor all, that this name is intended to apply only to the Indians, thedescendants of the fine race over whom Montezuma was emperor when Cortezconquered them. By Mexicans, or Creoles, we mean the descendants of theSpanish race. 

[D] About threepence. 

[Illustration]

CHAPTER III. 

WAKING UP IN THE MORNING. --THE PIGMY WORLD OF LILLIPUT. --L'ENCUERADO ANDTHE BOTTLES. --MASSACRE OF THISTLES. --THE CHARCOAL-BURNING INDIANS. 

I rose long before day and woke my companion. Lucien rubbed his eyes twoor three times, trying in vain to make out where he was. After somemoments, drawing the coverlet over him, he turned round to go to sleepagain. 

"Now, then, young Lazybones!" I cried, "don't you hear the cock crowing, telling us we ought to be on our road? Jump up and look round, and youwill see the birds and the insects are already busy. "

The child got up, appearing half stupefied, and stretched himself with along yawn. 

"Oh, papa!" he said, "I ache all over; I'm sure I shall never be able towalk. "

"You are quite mistaken, " I replied, half supporting him. "You only feela little tired and stiff; your limbs will very soon work as freely asever. Go and warm yourself by the fire, where our kind hostess ispreparing coffee. "

The little fellow did as he was told; but he limped sadly. 

"Do your legs feel like mine?" he asked of l'Encuerado. 

"No, Chanito; we did not walk far enough yesterday for that. "

"You can't mean that we haven't walked far? Papa says that we are nowseven leagues from Orizava. "

"Yes; that may seem a great deal to you, and perhaps too much; that iswhy I wanted to put you up on the top of my pack. Now, come, let me seewhere you suffer. "

"All over my limbs, but particularly inside my knees. "

"Wait a minute, and I'll soon cure you. "

L'Encuerado then laid Lucien down in front of the fire, and began to rubhim after the Indian method, vigorously shampooing the whole of hisbody. Next he made him walk and run with the longest strides he couldtake; and, after repeating this process, brought him a cup of boilingcoffee. Having been revived and strengthened in this way, the lad quiterecovered his sprightliness, and soon asked when we were going to start. 

I gave a small present to the old couple who had so kindly accommodatedus, and our little party began its second day's work; Gringalet sniffingthe breeze, and evidently enjoying the excursion as much as any of theparty. 

When the sun rose, the sky was covered with grayish clouds, driven alongquickly by a north wind; but the weather was cool, and well adapted towalking. A limestone mountain rose right in front of us, the slope ofwhich we had to climb; but ere we reached the top, we halted at leasttwenty times to take breath. Our little companion, with his head bentdown towards the ground, struggled to retain his place by our side. Atlast we reached the summit, and felt at liberty to rest. 

Casting a glance on the plain beneath us, the boy surveyed a vastprairie, dotted over with clumps of bushes. He silently contemplated thepanorama which was spread out beneath, although he failed to completelycomprehend all that he saw. 

"Look at those black spots moving about over the plain, " said he. 

"They are oxen, " I replied. 

"Oxen! Why they are scarcely as big as Gringalet. "

"Don't you know that you must not trust to appearances? Recollect thetrees you saw yesterday, which you thought were a forest. "

"But if, from this height, the oxen appear no larger than sheep, thesheep ought not to look greater than flies. "

"You can easily judge; there is a flock of goats down below. "

"A flock of goats! It is like a swarm of ants. "

"Exactly; but look at them through the telescope. "

Availing himself of the glass, which he used rather unskillfully, Lucienraised a sudden cry. 

"I see them! I see them!" he exclaimed. "How pretty they are! They arerunning about and crowding together, in front of a little boy who isdriving them. "

"It is most likely a man, who is diminished by the distance. "

"The idea of men of that size!"

"Well, look at the foot of that wooded hill; the thin line which youmight easily take for a mere pathway is the main road. Perhaps you maysee an Indian family travelling along it. "

[Illustration: "The basket and its bearer chased one another down thehill. "]

Lucien kept shifting his telescope about for some minutes withoutdescrying any thing; but at last he broke out in a fresh exclamation. 

"Have you discovered any men?" I asked. 

"Oh yes!--men, horses, and mules; but they are regular Lilliputians. "

"You are quite right, " said Sumichrast; "how do we know that Dr. Swiftdid not first form his idea of 'Gulliver's Travels' from looking at theworld from the top of a high mountain?"

After a time, I was obliged to take the young observer away from thispoint for contemplation to proceed on our journey. The ridge of themountain was soon crossed, and we began to descend the other side. Itook Lucien by the hand, for the slope was so steep that it needed theutmost care to avoid rolling down over the naked rocks. Several times Islipped, and scratched my legs among the bushes. Sumichrast, who hadtaken his turn in looking after the boy, was no better off than myself. The descent was so steep that we were often forced to run, and sometimesthe only thing possible to retard our impetus was to fall down, and runthe risk of being hurt. Therefore, in spite of Lucien's promise to walkprudently and with measured step, I declined to allow him to go alone. We at last, to our great satisfaction, got over about two-thirds withoutany accident, when l'Encuerado, losing his equilibrium, fell, turninghead over heels several times; the basket and its bearer chasing oneanother down the hill, finally disappearing into a thicket. 

"Look after Lucien, " I said to my companion, who was a few paces infront. And I dashed forward anxiously to assist l'Encuerado. 

I feared that I should find the unfortunate Indian with some of hisbones broken, even if not killed; so I called to him, when he repliedalmost immediately; but his voice sounded not from below, but from aspot a little to my left. I could not stay my rapid course except bygrasping a tuft of brush-wood, to which I hung. Then, turning towardsthe left, I soon encountered the Mistec, who had already begun tocollect his burden. 

"Nothing broken?" I asked. 

"No, Tatita; all the bottles are safe. "

"It's your limbs that I mean, my poor fellow!"

"Oh! my nose and arms are a little scratched, and my body is ratherknocked about; but there's not a single rent either in my jacket orbreeches, " added he, looking with complacency at the leathern garmentswhich had given him the name of l'Encuerado. 

"Well, you have had a narrow escape. "

"Oh! señor, God is good! In spite of the basket-work case, the bottlesmight have been broken, and they are not the least hurt. "

For my part, I was more inclined to recognize God's goodness inl'Encuerado's almost miraculous preservation. As to the basket, theIndian had tied it up so strongly, that I was not at all surprised tofind that our provisions were uninjured. 

"Give a call-cry, " said I to the Indian, "Sumichrast can not see us, andmay think that you are killed. "

"Chanito, hiou, hiou, hiou, Chanito!"

"Ohé! ohé!" replied Lucien. 

And the boy, looking pale and alarmed, almost immediately made hisappearance. He rushed up to his friend, threw his arms round his neck, and embraced him. The brave Mistec, who had been but little injured byhis terrible descent, could not help weeping at this proof of Lucien'sattachment. 

"It was nothing but a joke, " he said. "You'll see me perform many a featlike that. "

"Your face is all over with blood!"

"That's a mere joke, too. Would you like me to do it again?"

"No, no!" cried the child, catching the Indian by the jacket. 

I dressed l'Encuerado's hurts, and we were about to continue ourjourney. 

"I say, " said Lucien, archly, just as the Indian was hoisting his basketon to his back; "how would it have been if I had been perched on it?"

"Then I should not have fallen, " replied l'Encuerado, with the utmostgravity. 

In a minute or two more we were at the foot of the mountain, whenLucien, overjoyed that the descent was accomplished, gave a leap whichshowed me that the back of his trowsers had suffered in the latestruggle. 

"There's a pretty beginning!" I cried; "how did you manage to get yourtrowsers in that state?"

"It is my fault, " said Sumichrast, with consternation; "wishing todescend more rapidly, and fearing another tumble, I advised him to sitdown and slide carefully. I did not foresee the very natural results ofsuch a plan. "

"Well, papa! it does not matter in the country. "

"If my advice had been taken, " broke in l'Encuerado, "he would have hada pair of leathern pantaloons, which wouldn't suffer from suchcontingencies. Never mind, Chanito, we'll mend them with the skin of thefirst squirrel which comes within reach of my gun. "

We were now passing through a dark gorge full of thick brush-wood. Infront of us rose a wooded mountain, which we had to climb. The shrubswere succeeded by gigantic thistles, which compelled us to advance withextreme care. These troublesome plants grew so thickly that we wereobliged to use our knives to clear a passage. L'Encuerado, putting downhis load, taught Lucien how to handle his; showing him that a downwardcut, if the weapon slipped or met with but little resistance, might bedangerous. Enchanted with his lesson, and cutting down several stalks ata blow, our young pioneer soon opened for us an avenue rather than apath. The thistles gradually became fewer. Sumichrast walked in front, destroying the last obstacles that severed us from the under-wood. 

It was now breakfast-time, and as we continued our course we looked outfor a favorable spot to halt at, when the measured strokes of an axefell upon our ears. This noise told of the presence of wood-cutters, whowere certain to be provided with maize-cakes and beans; so we resolvedto make our way up to them, and thus economize our own resources. Afteran hour's difficult ascent, just as we were despairing of reaching theIndian, whose axe had ceased to sound, Lucien cried out:

"Look, papa, there's a fire!"

At the same moment Gringalet began barking furiously, and a few pacesmore brought us to a burning charcoal-oven. The charcoal-burner, who wassurprised at our visit, seized his long-handled axe. But the presence ofthe child appeared to reassure him. 

"Good-morning, Don José, " said I, using the common name which is appliedin Mexico to all the Indians. 

"God preserve you, " replied he, speaking in broken Spanish. 

"Are you all alone?"

"No. I have six companions. "

"Well, will one of you sell us some maize-cakes, and give us somewater?"

"We have neither water nor cakes. "

"I'm quite sure you will be able to find some, " I replied, placing ahalf-piastre in his hand. 

[Illustration: "Almost immediately the foliage was pushed aside. "]

The Indian took off his straw hat, scratched his forehead, and then, placing two fingers in his mouth, whistled a prolonged note. Almostimmediately the foliage was pushed aside, and a boy about fifteen yearsold, wearing nothing but a pair of drawers, made his appearance, andhalted, as if terrified at the sight of us. 

"Run to the hut, and ask for cakes and some capsicums, and bring themhere, " said the wood-cutter, in the Aztec language. 

"It's quite needless, " I replied, in the same idiom; "we can breakfastmuch more comfortably in the hut. "

The wood-cutter looked at me in artless admiration, then taking my hand, placed it on his breast. I spoke his language, and I was therefore hisfriend. This is a feeling common to all men, whatever may be theirnationality or social position. 

Following the young Indian, in five minutes we reached a very primitivedwelling; being but four stakes supporting a roof made of branches withtheir leaves on. The wood-men in Mexico construct such temporary placesof shelter, for at the commencement of the rainy season they cease todwell in the forests. 

An Indian girl warmed us a dozen of those maize-flour fritters, whichare called _tortillas_, and are eaten by the natives instead of bread. She also brought us a calabash full of cooked beans, which hungerrendered delicious. 

"Why don't they serve the meat first?" asked Lucien. 

"Because they have none, " replied Sumichrast. 

"Haven't these Indians any meat? Poor fellows! How will they dine, then?"

"Don't you know that the Indians never eat meat more than three or fourtimes a year; and that their usual food is composed of nothing but blackbeans, rice, capsicums, and maize flour? Have you forgotten our dinneryesterday?"

"I fancied that we had arrived too late for the first course, and thatall the meat had been used. But shall we live on beans the whole of ourjourney?"

"No; our meals will not be quite so regular as you seem to think. Yet weshall have plenty of meat when we have been lucky in shooting, a littlerice when we have been unfortunate, and fried beans whenever chancethrows in our way any inhabited hut. "

"And we shall have to go without dessert?" said the child, making up hisface into a comical pout. 

"Oh no, Chanito, there will be dessert to-day, " replied l'Encuerado. "Perhaps as good as the cook would provide at home; but, at any rate, itis sweet enough. Look at it!"

The Indian girl brought a calabash full of water, and a cone of blacksugar, weighing about half a pound. 

"What is that?" cried Lucien. 

"_Panela_, " answered the Indian girl. 

"Poor man's sugar, " interposed Sumichrast. "The manufacture of whitesugar, which you saw yesterday, costs a good deal, for the laborersemployed to make it have to work night and day, and thus it becomesexpensive. Now, some sugar-makers avoid all this outlay, and they merelyboil the juice, so that it will harden in cooling. This dark-coloredsugar costs about one-half as much in making as the other. "

"I can well believe it, " said the child; "but it contains all that nastyscum which we saw. "

"That makes it the nicer, " said l'Encuerado; "it has a richer flavor. "

And taking a morsel of the _panela_, he soaked it in the water in thecalabash and sucked it. 

When Lucien saw that we, too, imitated the Indian, he soon made up hismind to do likewise, the sweet taste overcoming his repugnance. 

When we had finished, our young companion was anxious to know howcharcoal was made. Sumichrast led him close to a recently-felled oak, the small branches of which an Indian was cutting into pieces two orthree inches long, by means of an instrument something like an enormouspruning-knife. A little farther, on the open ground, two men werecollecting these pieces of wood in circular rows. This pile was alreadyseven feet in circumference, and about the same in height, although itwas not half finished. Lucien could easily see this when he approachedthe Indian who was looking after the lighted furnace, in which the wood, completely covered with earth, formed a kind of dome, from the summit ofwhich a blue flame was hovering, proving that the mass inside was in ared-hot state. The Indian kept walking round and round the furnace, plastering damp earth on any holes through which the flame started. For, as Sumichrast properly observed, a charcoal of good quality must besmothered while it is being burned. 

"Suppose the fire went out?" said Lucien. 

"Then all the work must be begun over again. "

"But the fire might burn only one side. "

"They would then have badly-burned charcoal, nearly half wood, whichwould cause a bad smell when it was used. The wood in the oven we arelooking at will be entirely charred to-night; for the fire, which waslighted at the centre, is trying to break through all round the outside. Before long the Indians will cover up the opening at the top, over whichthe blue flame is hovering. The fire will then be quite deprived of air, and soon afterwards go out. In about eight days your mamma may perhapsbuy this very charcoal which you have seen burned. "

"Suppose the charcoal went on burning?"

"Then the Indian, to his great vexation, would find nothing left butashes. But he will take good care not to lose the fruit of his labor. Hewill use as many precautions to prevent the fire burning up again as hedoes now to hinder it going out. "

A little farther on a man was filling up his rush bags with charcoalwhich had cooled. As it would take him more than one day to reach thetown, he was lining his sacks with a kind of balm, the penetrating odorof which always announces, in Mexico, the approach of acharcoal-carrier. This plan is adopted to preserve the charcoal fromdamp. 

"When I used to see the Indians carrying on their backs their fourlittle sacks of charcoal, " said Lucien, "I had no idea that they wereobliged to live in the woods, and cut down great trees to procure it;and that they had to pass several nights in watching the oven. "

"No more idea, perhaps, " I replied, "than the little boys in Europe haveof the sugar-cane plantations; and that without the plant all thosebeautiful _bon-bons_, which delight the sight as much as the taste, could not be made. "

"But, papa, haven't I heard you tell the Mexicans that in France theymake sugar with beet-root?"

"Yes, certainly you have; and, in case of need, it might be extractedfrom many other roots, plants, or fruit; but beet-root alone yieldsenough sugar to repay the trouble of extraction. "

It was quite time for us to be off; so I put an end to the ceaselessquestions of the young traveller. 

Our host told me that if we went on along the same path which had led usto their place, we should come, in less than two hours, to a hutsituated on the plateau of the mountain. The Indians certainly seemed toforget that Lucien's short legs might delay our progress. 

[Illustration]

CHAPTER IV. 

A DIFFICULT ASCENT. --THE GOAT. --THE INDIAN GIRLS. --THETOBACCO-PLANT. --THE BULL-FIGHT. --GAME. --LUCIEN'S GUN. --OUR ENTRY INTOTHE WILDERNESS. 

Our way led through nothing but scrub oaks, for all the larger trees hadgradually disappeared from the mountain-side, which had for some timebeen cultivated by the Indians. The path was steep, rugged, and stony;and seemed, at first, to defy any attempt to scale it. Notwithstandingthe measured pace at which we were walking, we were obliged to stopevery minute to recover our breath. Lucien followed us so eagerly that Iwas obliged to check him several times. He was surprised at not seeingany living creature, not even those beautiful golden flies which, inMexico, flutter round every bush. But the north wind was blowing, andthe sun was hidden behind the clouds, so that both the insects and birdskept in the deepest recesses of their hiding-places. As we advanced, ourroad became much steeper, and we were obliged to cling to the shrubs forsupport. L'Encuerado, who was impeded by the weight of his load, pulledhimself up with his hands, so had hard work to keep his balance. Soon itbecame impossible for him to go farther; but, fortunately, we hadforeseen ascents of this kind. So I gave the child into Sumichrast'scharge, for if he had been left to climb by himself, he would mostlikely have rolled over and hurt himself against the stumps or sharprocks. 

I made my way into a copse, and with my _machete_ I cut down amoderately-sized branch, the end of which I sharpened to a point. Then, going forward and unrolling a leathern thong, thirty feet in length, andcommonly called by us a _lasso_, I fastened it to the stake, which Idrove firmly into the ground. By means of this support, which served asa sort of hand-rail, l'Encuerado could clamber up to me, thanks to thestrength of his wrists. Ten times this awkward job had to be repeated, and the path, instead of getting better, became worse. We then shiftedour work, and I took charge of the load, while the tired Indian fixedthe _lasso_. I was just making my third ascent, when Sumichrast, who hadgone on before us to reconnoitre the ground, made his appearance above. When he saw me stumbling and twisting about, falling now on my side, andnow on my knees, toiling to advance a single step, my companion burstinto a fit of laughter. I had then neither time nor will to do as hedid, and his ill-timed mirth vexed me. At last I caught hold of thestake, bruised and exhausted, and ready to wish there was no such thingas travelling. Sumichrast told us that we had scarcely three hundredfeet more to ascend, and shouldered the basket himself. Now that I wasa mere spectator, I could readily forgive him his fit of merriment. Nothing, in fact, could be more grotesque than the contortions he wentthrough trying to keep his balance. L'Encuerado was the only one whoretained his countenance. As for Lucien, he seemed to feel the effortsof Sumichrast as much as if they were his own. 

"You see, " I said to my son, "that in countries where there are nobeaten roads a walk is not always an easy matter. "

At last, we got out of this difficult locality. While all this was goingon, Gringalet, gravely squatting down upon his haunches, seemedperfectly amazed at our efforts. Pricking up his ears and winking hiseyes, he quietly surveyed us; no doubt secretly congratulating himselfupon being able to run and gambol easily in places where we, less-suitably-constructed bipeds, found it difficult even to walk. 

Here there were no trees to be seen. As on the evening before, wetraversed a granite surface soil which formed the ridge of the mountain;but a sudden turn in the path led us to a plateau, on which stood arudely-built hut. 

Three children ran away as we came near, and two lean dogs began toprowl round Gringalet with any thing but friendly intentions. A goat, which was quietly cropping the scanty grass, suddenly raised its head, and, cutting several capers, ran with its head bent down, as if to buttour little companion. I could not reach the spot in time to prevent thisunforeseen attack, nevertheless I shouted, in hopes of intimidating theanimal; but Gringalet, who was far more nimble than I, boldly faced theenemy, and soon forced him to retreat. 

"Weren't you afraid of him?" asked Sumichrast. 

"Rather, " answered Lucien, hanging down his head. 

"Well, it did not prevent you facing the foe. "

"If I had run away, the goat, who runs a great deal faster than I can, would soon have overtaken me. I waited for him, so as to frighten himwith my stick, and, if possible, avoid his horns. "

"You could not have acted more sensibly. At all events you've plenty ofcoolness, and that is about the best quality a traveller can show. "

"All right now, but in future I shall keep clear of goats. But I thoughtthey were afraid of men. "

"Not always, as you were very near finding out to your cost. Perhaps, however, " continued Sumichrast, smiling, "your enemy did not look uponyou quite as a man; and, after all, I fancy he thought more of playingwith you than of hurting you, for he must be thoroughly accustomed tothe sight of children. "

At this moment Gringalet came running up with his tail between his legs, and with a most doleful look; he was closely pursued by all the dogs ofthe plateau, who, instead of barking, were making a kind of howlingnoise, common to those that are but half domesticated. 

On hearing all this uproar, two Indian women came running towards us, but stopped, abashed at our appearance. 

The youngest of them, rather a pretty girl, wore nothing but a shortlinen chemise, and a piece of blue woollen stuff fastened round her hipsby a wide band, ornamented with red threads. Her hair, which was plaitedand brought over her forehead, formed a sort of coronet. Her companion, who was dressed in a similar way, wore, in addition, a long scarf, whichwas fixed to her head, and fell round her like a nun's cloak. 

"God bless you, Maria!" I said to the eldest. "Can you take us in forone night?"

[Illustration: "On hearing the uproar, two Indian women came runningtowards us. "]

"I have nothing to offer you to eat, I am afraid. "

"Perhaps you can sell us a fowl and some eggs. "

"Well, I must see if my husband objects to guests. "

"Surely your husband will not refuse the shelter of his roof to wearytravellers?"

She reflected for a moment, and then answered, "No, he is a Christian! Come in and rest yourselves. "

The Indian woman called to her children, who one after the other showedtheir wild-looking heads peeping out from some hiding-place, and orderedthem to drive away the dogs. 

It was not without some degree of pleasure we got rid of our travellinggear, as we felt no ordinary amount of weariness, which was easilyaccounted for by the exertion of our recent ascent. L'Encuerado, alwaysbrisk, began to assist the housewife; he stirred up the fire, arrangedthe plates, and looked to their being clean. The Indian woman then askedhim to go and draw some water from a spring about a hundred yards fromthe hut; and off he went, led by the children of our hostess. His youngguides, completely naked, and their heads shaved, rode on bamboo-canesas make-believe horses, and pranced along in front of him. 

Except on the side we had just ascended, the plateau was entirelysurrounded by high mountains. The hut, which was built of planks andcovered with thatch, appeared very cleanly kept. Behind it extended asmall kitchen garden, in which fennel, the indispensable condiment inAztec cookery, grew in great abundance; in front, there was a largetobacco plantation, and an inclosure where both goats and pigs lived ongood terms with each other. The situation appeared somewhat dull to us;but in the tropics the absence of sunshine is sufficient to give asombre look to the most beautiful landscape. 

Lucien wanted to pay a visit to the tobacco-field. The stems of thisplant are more than three feet high, covered with wide leaves of adark-green color. The flowers, some of which were pink and others ayellowish hue, indicated two different species; their acrid smell wasany thing but pleasant. Lucien was not a little surprised to learn thatthis beautiful _vegetable_ belonged to the same botanical family as thepotato, the tomato, the egg-plant, and the pimento. 

"Among the ancient Aztecs, " said Sumichrast, "tobacco was called_pycietl_; it was the emblem of the goddess Cihua-cohuatl, orwoman-serpent. [E] In Mexican mythology, this divinity was supposed to bethe first mother of children; and, in the legend about her, the Europeanmissionaries fancied that they recognized some features resembling thesacred history of Eve. Up to the present time, the Indians, who haverenounced the errors of paganism and profess the Christian religion, continue to make use of the plant consecrated to their ancient goddess, as a remedy for the sting of venomous reptiles. "

"Then that is why they cultivate tobacco, " said Lucien, "for I know thatthey seldom smoke. "

"No, but they sell their crops of it to the Creoles, among whom smokingis a universal habit. It is said that the word _tobacco_ comes from thename of the island of Tabago, where the Spaniards first discovered it. About the year 1560, it was introduced into France by Jean Nicot, whogave it his own name; for _savants_ call this plant _nicotian_. It is acertain fact that the modern Mexican Indians smoke hardly any thing butcigars or cigarettes. As for pipes, they have not long known of theexistence of such things; and the works of certain romancers, who sooften describe the Aztecs as having the pipe of peace, war, or councilconstantly in their mouths, are simply ridiculous. You may recollecthow astonished the French were, on their arrival here, to find theycould not procure any cut tobacco; while on the other hand the Indianscrowded to see the foreigners inhale the smoke of the plant frominstruments made of clay, wood, or porcelain. "[F]

"I remember, " cried Lucien, "that one day l'Encuerado took a pipebelonging to an officer who was staying with papa and began to smoke it. You should have seen what horrible faces he made. "

"Well, what happened to him?" asked Sumichrast. 

"The pipe made him sick, and then papa, who knew nothing about hissmoking, gave him some medicine; but l'Encuerado told me that themedicine was not nearly so nasty as the pipe. "

The culprit, who had just joined us, cast down his eyes at this taleabout him, and murmured in a sententious tone of voice, "Pipes are aninvention of the devil. "[G]

Followed by my companions, I again drew near to the hut, and the mastercame out to bid us welcome. Our hostess placed upon a mat an earthendish containing a fowl cooked with rice, and the Indian, his wife, andhis sister-in-law, offered to wait on us. Lucien invited the children topartake of our repast; but they refused to sit down beside us. Towardsthe conclusion of our dinner, one of them brought us half a dozenbananas, which were most welcome; while we were drinking our coffee, thelittle troop made up a game of hide-and-seek. To my great satisfaction, I saw that, in spite of the long day's journey, Lucien joined in, andran and jumped about with as much energy as his play-mates. 

At last the children got tired of this game, and, bringing a kid, had amock bull-fight. The animal, wonderfully well trained to the sport, ranafter the youngsters, and more than once succeeded in knocking themdown. When Lucien met this fate, Gringalet became furious and sprangupon the pretty little creature; but the dog's young master got up in amoment and soon quieted his protector's energy. We had noticed, eversince we set out, that Gringalet always preferred to follow close to theboy, and seemed to have taken upon himself the task of watching over hissafety. 

Our host told us that he was born and also married in the village ofTenejapa; but being enlisted for a soldier by force, he deserted andtook up his abode on this plateau. We were the first white men who hadpaid him a visit for six years. His fields produced maize, beans, andtobacco, which his wife and sister-in-law took twice a year to Orizavato exchange for necessaries for housekeeping. He was as happy aspossible, and was never tired of praising the charms of forest andplain. But his raptures were not required to convert us to his opinions. 

Nightfall was accompanied by cold, to which we were but littleaccustomed. The Indians lent us some mats; then we all wrapped ourselvesup, and were soon asleep, notwithstanding the primitiveness of ourcouch. 

About two in the morning I woke up numbed from the lowness of thetemperature; Lucien also was nearly frozen. I hastened to cover him upwith my _sarapé_, for on these heights we were exposed to the north windblowing from the volcano of Citlatepetl, and the atmosphere would notget warm again until sunrise. Sumichrast soon joined me; he had alsogiven up his covering to the child. I then set to work to look for somesmall branches to light the fire; but our movements ultimately rousedup our host, and, thanks to him, we were soon able to sit down in frontof a powerful blaze. Still l'Encuerado, from force of habit, who washardly sheltered at all, was sleeping like a top. At last, aided by theheat, sleep resumed its influence, and I dropped off again in slumber. 

When I awoke, the sun was shining in a cloudless sky, and every body wasup. Sumichrast was inspecting the arms and ammunition, for from this dayforward we should have to provide our own subsistence. I was quitesurprised at the time I had been asleep; but a slight touch of lumbagoreminded me of yesterday's difficult ascent, which fully accounted formy drowsiness. I must confess I felt much more inclined to go to bedagain than to continue our journey; but, as I was obliged to set a goodexample, I began to help my companions in their preparations fordeparture. I have already described the dress of Lucien and l'Encuerado;Sumichrast's costume and mine also consisted of strong cloth trowsers, and a blouse made of the same stuff. The weapons of each were arevolver, a _machete_, a double-barrelled gun, and a game-bag filledwith necessaries. We duly examined the contents of the basket, whichl'Encuerado carried on his back by a strap fixed across his breast orforehead. Sumichrast then took out a long parcel he had put into thebasket when we started, and unrolled the cloth which formed its firstcovering. His smile and mysterious look quite puzzled us; at last hedrew from the paper a light fowling-piece, which he placed in Lucien'shands. 

The boy blushed and trembled with joy, and became quite pale withanxiety. He hardly dared to believe that his fondest dream was thusrealized. He could not speak for pleasure, but threw himself into myfriend's arms. I was as much surprised as he was. I had often thoughtof giving Lucien a gun; but I was so afraid of an accident that I haddecided not to do so. 

"Oh, Chanito! I pity the poor tigers; what a number of them you willkill!" exclaimed the old hunter. "What beautiful skins you will be ableto take home to mamma! Come, let me handle your gun; it looks as if itwas made on purpose for you. Oh! how I pity the poor tigers!"

And he began to dance about with the energy of delight. 

[Illustration]

It was decided that the gun should always be loaded by us, and thatLucien should only shoot under our directions. I also added that, at theleast infringement of these rules, the gun would be taken away, and thelittle fellow well knew I would keep my word. In vain I advised him toput back his gun into the basket; but this was almost too much toexpect, so I allowed him to carry it, which he did with great pride. 

[Illustration: "Behind us opened a dark, narrow ravine, withperpendicular sides. "]

After a good breakfast, we regulated our compasses. Lucien saidgood-bye to his little companions, and I thanked the Indian women forall their attention to us. Our host, however, accompanied us to thesummit of the mountain. 

There we found ourselves in a vast amphitheatre, commanded on all sidesby wooded ridges; at our feet stretched the plateau we had just crossed, and far beneath us we caught indistinct glimpses of the plain below. Behind us opened a dark, narrow ravine, with perpendicular sides, almostlike an immense wall. Above us was the pale blue sky, dotted over withvultures. 

On the verge of the forest our guide parted from us with regret, andwished us a successful journey. Sumichrast loaded Lucien's gun, and toldhim to fire it off as a salute on our entering the wilderness. The shotwas fired, the echoes reverberating in succession, each louder than thelast; then all was once more silent. After casting a last look over thevalley, I was the first to make my way into the forest. From this momentwe had only God's providence and our own exertions to trust to; forevery step we advanced only took us farther from the haunts of men. 

[Illustration]

FOOTNOTES:

[E] In the Aztec language, _cihuatl_ signifies "woman, " and _cohuatl_signifies "serpent. "

[F] The Indians that inhabit the vast plains to the north of Mexico allsmoke; from this, doubtless, arises the usual supposition that allAmerican Indians smoke. --ED. 

[G] In giving utterance to this anathema, l'Encuerado was unknowinglyagreeing with James I. , king of England, who published a work againstsmokers. 

[Illustration]

CHAPTER V. 

THE GREAT FOREST. --CROWS. --THE FIRST BIVOUAC. --THE SQUIRREL-HUNT. --OURYOUNG GUIDE. --THE CHANT IN THE DESERT. 

We were now more than 5000 feet above the level of the sea, and thecoldness of the breeze quite surprised my son, who, being accustomed tothe climate of the _Terre-Tempérée_, had never before felt any thinglike the atmosphere we were now in. As if by instinct, he held hisfingers in his mouth, to prevent their getting numbed. But when the sunhad reached a certain height, there was no longer any need to complainof the cold. 

As we advanced, the trees grew closer and closer together. Lucien, whonow for the first time saw these enormous trees, to whom centuries wereno more than years are to us, seemed strongly impressed at the sight oftheir gigantic proportions. He almost doubted the reality of the scenewhich met his eyes. Having previously seen the pigmy world of Lilliputfrom the top of a mountain, he was now ready to inquire if this was notanother illusion, exhibiting to him the empire of one of those giantswhose marvellous histories his mamma had related to him. An oak-treewhich had fallen across our path gave him a good opportunity ofmeasuring its size, the limbs of which seemed to touch the sky. Theancient trunk was black, wrinkled, and partly buried in the earth by theweight of its fall; even as it lay prostrate, it was several feet higherthan ourselves, while the large branches, scattered and broken, wereequal in diameter to the biggest chestnut-trees. A flapping of wingssuddenly attracted our attention, and we saw two couples of enormouscrows take flight, saluting us as they went with a prolonged croaking. 

"Be off with you, children of the evil one!" cried l'Encuerado; "you'veno chance of frightening us, we are too good Christians for that!"

"Whom are you calling to?" asked Lucien, who looked round him withsurprise. 

"To the crows, of course. "

"Do you believe that they can understand you?"

"Not the least doubt about it, Chanito. These scoundrels are harder intheir flesh than they are in their hearing; and just because they aredressed up in a beautiful black coat, like that your papa wears onfestival days, they think to have every thing their own way. But if oneof them dares to come to-night and prowl round our fire, I'll kill androast him, as sure as my name is l'Encuerado!"

The boy opened his eyes very wide at this, for he was always astonishedat the whims of the Indian, who never failed to interpret the cries andgestures of animals according to his own fancy, and to give a sharprejoinder to the imaginary provocations which, as he considered, wereoffered to him. Sometimes, even, he laid the blame on inanimate things, and then his conversations with them were most amusing. The old hunterhad no doubt contracted this habit at a time when, living alone in thewoods and feeling the need of talking, he conversed with himself, havingno one else to address. However this might be, he kept up conversationwith either a leaf or a bird in perfectly artless sincerity. 

For four hours we proceeded through the forest, feeling almost overcomewith the heat. Pines and oaks appeared, one after another, in almostmonotonous regularity. Gradually the ground began to slope, and thealtered pace we had to adopt both rested us and also increased the speedof our march. At length we emerged into a valley. The vegetation was nowof an altered character, the ceibas, lignum-vitæ trees, and creeperswere here and there to be seen. 

"Halt!" I cried out. 

I soon got rid of my travelling gear, an example my companions were notslow in following. L'Encuerado and Lucien immediately set to work tofind some dry branches, while Sumichrast and I began to cut down thegrass over a space of several square yards. 

"Have we finished our day's journey, then?" asked Lucien. 

"Yes, " I replied; "don't you feel tired?"

"Not very; I could easily go farther. Have we walked very far?"

"About four leagues. "

"And are we really going to rest after a trifle like that? I alwaysthought travellers went on walking until night. "

"Nonsense!" said I, taking hold of his ear. "What an undaunted youngpedestrian! Four leagues a day are no such trifle when you have to beginagain next morning. 'Slow and steady wins the race, ' says an oldproverb, which I intend to carry out to the letter; for forced marcheswould soon injure our health, and then good-bye to the success of ourexpedition. As to walking until night, it is perfectly impossible, except when one is certain to meet with an inn. Under these large trees, no one will ever think of getting ready a meal for us; and, I suppose, you haven't much wish to die of hunger. We may very likely have to trampone or two leagues more before we are able to kill the game which willform the mainstay of our dinner. "

"I never thought of all that, " said Lucien, shaking his head, andlooking convinced; "but what shall we have to eat this evening?"

"At present, I haven't the least idea; perhaps a hare or a bird, or evena rat. "

"A rat! I certainly will never touch one. "

"Ah! my boy, wait till you are really hungry--you don't know as yet whatit is to be so--and then you'll see how greedily you will make a dinneroff whatever Providence provides. "

"Do you think we shall often have to go a whole day without eating?"

"I hope not, " I answered, smiling at Lucien's anxious and somewhatpensive tone. 

During this conversation, l'Encuerado, as active as a monkey, hadclambered up a pine, and his _machete_ was strewing the ground withslender boughs. We also set to work at shaping the stakes, which I droveinto the ground by means of a stone, which served as a hammer. Somebranches, interwoven and tied together by creepers, formed a kind ofhurdle, which, fixed on the top of the posts, did for a roof. TheIndian, assisted by his little companion, who was much interested in allthe preparations, filled the hut with leaves, and covered the brancheswith a layer of dry grass. Under this shelter, we could set the rain atdefiance, if not the cold. 

It is impossible to describe Lucien's enchantment. This _house_ (forthis was the name he chose to give to the shapeless hut, in which ourparty could scarcely stand upright) appeared to him a perfectmasterpiece of architecture, and he was astonished at the rapidity withwhich it had been built. He helped l'Encuerado to make up the fire, sothat all that was requisite on our return was to set a light to it. Then, armed with our guns, we set off to seek for our dinners. 

Seeing that we left behind us all our baggage, Lucien exclaimed, "Suppose any one came and stole our provisions?"

"Upon my word, " cried Sumichrast, "you're the boy to think of everything. But there's no need to fear this misfortune; most likely, we arethe only persons in the forest; or if any one else should be here, itwould be an almost miraculous chance if they discovered our bivouac. "

"Then we are not on any road?"

"You may call it a road if you like, but we are the only people who havetrod it; no one could discover our encampment unless they had followedus step by step. "

The child shook his head with a rather doubtful air; the idea of thedesert is not readily nor suddenly comprehended. I well recollect that, during my first excursions in the wilderness, I was constantly expectingto catch sight of some human face, either just when I was emerging froma wood or in following the paths made in the savannah by wild cattle. Atnight, especially when I was troubled by sleeplessness, I was alwaysfancying that I recognized, in the distant sounds, either the crow ofa cock, the barking of a dog, or the burden of some familiar song. 

[Illustration: "We now entered one of those glades. "]

"But if no one can discover our bivouac, " remarked Lucien, casting aglance behind him, "how shall we manage to find it again?"

"In a way that is simple, but rather laborious; we shall walk one afterthe other, and the last man's duty will be to notch the trees andshrubs. "

"Shall I walk first?" asked Lucien. 

"No; that place belongs by right to the best shot; for if we put up anygame, we mustn't let it escape. In the mean time, until you know how touse your gun, you shall form the rear-guard. "

This duty did not seem to displease Lucien, who immediately seized hissword and followed us, at a little distance, inflicting on the trunks ofthe trees the gashes which were to guide us on our return. He performedhis work with so much ardor that his strength was soon exhausted. L'Encuerado afterwards taught him how to handle his weapon in a moreskillful manner, and to notch the trees without stopping in his walk. Apath marked in this manner is called, in Canada and the United States, ablaze road. 

We now entered one of those glades which are so often met with in themidst of a virgin forest, although it is impossible to explain the causewhy the trees do not grow just in these spots. As there was no livingcreature to be seen, I agreed with Sumichrast to leave Lucien andl'Encuerado on the watch, and that we should walk round, each on our ownside, so as to meet again at the other extremity of the open space. Gringalet, seeing us separate, could not at first make up his mind whichparty he should go with; but bounded from one to the other, and caressedeach of us, raising plaintive whines. At last he seemed determined tofollow me, but scarcely had I progressed a hundred yards before hestopped, as if to reflect. He probably thought he had left somethingbehind, for he quickly disappeared. 

I walked for half an hour through the brake, with eye and ear both onthe watch, and my finger on the trigger, without discovering the leastevidence of game. My companion did not appear more fortunate than I was, when suddenly a gun went off. At the same time, I saw Sumichrastpointing to a number of squirrels crossing the glade. 

"Have you killed one?" I asked. 

"Yes; but it is sticking fast between two branches, sixty feet above theground; it is a shot thrown away. "

We watched anxiously the rapid bounds of the graceful little animalswhich we had just disturbed, as they were fast making their way into thewood. 

"Is l'Encuerado asleep?" I cried, with vexation. 

My question was answered by two shot-reports in succession, and almostimmediately Gringalet, l'Encuerado, and Lucien emerged from the forest. After searching about for a few minutes, the boy raised up his arm andshowed us two squirrels he was holding. We now hastened our steps; theIndian had taken possession of the game, and was moving on towards ourbivouac, while Lucien ran to meet us. 

"Papa, papa!" he cried, all out of breath, "my gun killed one of thesquirrels. Oh! M. Sumichrast, you shall see it; it is gray, with a taillike a plume. "

"But was it really you that shot?" I asked. 

"Oh yes! I shot, but l'Encuerado held my gun; we aimed into the middleof them, for there were a great many. If you could only have seen howthey jumped! The one I hit climbed up on the tree close by; but it soonfell as dead as a stone. L'Encuerado says that it hadn't time to suffermuch pain. "

The poor child was making his _début_ as a sportsman, and his heartseemed rather full, although he was very proud of this first proof ofhis skill. Sumichrast was the first to congratulate him. As for me, although I was well aware of the Indian's prudence, I made up my mind, if only for the sake of economizing our powder, both to blame him andalso to caution him against his desire of letting the boy shoot. 

"Come, " said I to Lucien, who was hugging his gun against his chest, "you must be our leader in finding our way back to our encampment. Youmarked out the road, so mind you don't mislead us. "

Our young guide led us back to our starting-point with far moreself-possession than I expected. 

"A child's attention is always being drawn away, " observed Sumichrast tome. "How do you explain Lucien's having followed the trail so readily?"

"Perhaps because it was partly his own work, " I replied. 

"It is, too, because I am so short, " replied the child, with an archsmile; "I am much closer to the ground than you are, almost as close asGringalet, who is so very clever in finding a trail. You see, papa, thatit's some benefit in being little, and that I have some chance of beinguseful. "

I need hardly say how much we were diverted at this novel argumentagainst a lofty stature. 

"At this rate, " I replied, "I ought to have brought your brother Emile;for he is so short that he would have followed a trail even better thanyou. "

"Of course you ought. Don't you recollect that when we were walking overthe mountain of Borrego, he often spied out insects that you had missedseeing?"

I was evidently regularly beaten. 

We sat down in front of the fire, before which the two squirrels wereroasting. L'Encuerado caught in a dish the fat which trickled down fromthe animals, and every now and then basted the meat with it. 

The flesh of the squirrel, both in flavor and color, much resembles thatof the hare; so our little mess-mate ate it with evident enjoyment. Dried maize-cakes, called _totopo_, took the place of bread, and eachone had his allowance of it. 

We couldn't help feeling uneasy about Gringalet: we had given him abouthalf a squirrel, but instead of eating it, he thought fit to rollhimself upon it frantically. The poor beast had consequently only somescraps of _totopo_. It was, however, highly necessary to accustom him tofeed on game, as our maize-cakes were far too valuable to be doled outthus. Each of us poured a little water from his gourd into a calabash, which served for a drinking-vessel. The poor dog, thus allowanced, musthave been sorry that he ever joined us. 

The sun was perceptibly sinking. 

"Well, Lucien, " asked Sumichrast, "what do you think now of rat'sflesh?"

"I'll tell you when I have eaten some of it. "

"What! don't you know that the squirrel and the rat are very nearrelations, and that they both belong to the Rodent family?"

"They certainly are a little alike, " said the child, making a comicalface. 

"Especially the species which we had for our dinner; which, by-the-by, is not yet classed by naturalists. Look! its coat is black on the back, gray on the flanks, and white under the belly. The ears, too, are bare, instead of having those long points of hair which give such a knowinglook to the European squirrels. "

"Do squirrels feed on flesh?"

"No; acorns, buds, nuts, grain, and sometimes grasses, constitute theirprincipal food. "

"Then, " replied Lucien, triumphantly, "the flesh of the squirrel cannot resemble that of the rat, for I know that the rat will eat flesh. "

The assured and self-satisfied tone of the little _savant_ made ussmile; but I almost immediately desired him to be silent, for a noise ofbranches rustling, which had excited our attention, became every momentmore distinct. Gringalet was about to bark, but l'Encuerado caught himby the muzzle, and covered him with his _sarapé_. A whole troop ofsquirrels, no doubt those we had hunted two hours before, made theirappearance, uttering sharp cries. They sprang from branch to branch withthe most extraordinary disregard to distance. We noticed them runningafter one another, sometimes along the top, and sometimes along thebottom of the most flexible boughs. They moved forward as if in jerks, sometimes stopping suddenly and climbing a tree, only to descend itagain. When on the ground, they sat up on their hind legs, using theirfront paws like hands, and rubbed their noses with such a comical airthat Lucien could not help speaking loud to express his admiration ofthem. 

Hearing so strange a sound as the human voice, the graceful animals tookflight, but not quick enough to prevent Sumichrast's gun from woundingone of them. The squirrel remained at first clinging to the tree onwhich it was when the shot struck it; but, after a pause, it relaxed itshold and rolled over and fell to the ground. Nevertheless, it hadstrength enough left to turn round and bite the sportsman, whocarelessly laid hold of him. L'Encuerado skinned it immediately, keepingthe meat for our breakfast next morning. 

The sun went down; the cries of the birds resounded, and night at lastshut us in, bringing with it the solemn silence of the wilderness. L'Encuerado struck up a prolonged chant, and Lucien's fresh young voiceblended with that of the hunter. The tune was simple and monotonous inits character; but there was something touching in hearing the Indianand the child, both equally artless in mind, uniting together to singthe praises of God. The chant was ended by a prayer, which Sumichrastand I listened to, standing up, with our heads bared; and it was withearnestness that my friend repeated l'Encuerado's solemn "Amen, "expressed in the words, "God is great. "

[Illustration]

Having fed the fire with sufficient wood to keep it up all night, we laydown, side by side, under the hut. The wind moaned softly through thefoliage, and, under the influence of the gentle breeze, the pine-treesproduced that melancholy sound which so exactly calls to mind the noiseof the surf breaking on the shore. By means of thinking of it, I felt iteven in my sleep, for I dreamt that I was at sea, and that the vesselthat bore me was sailing over silvery waters. 

[Illustration]

CHAPTER VI. 

COFFEE. --TURPENTINE. --COUROUCOUS. --PINE-NEEDLES. --THREE VOLCANOES INSIGHT AT ONCE. --THE CARABUS FAMILY. --SCORPIONS. --SALAMANDERS. --AMIDNIGHT DISTURBANCE. 

The first thing I saw on opening my eyes was l'Encuerado, who wasgetting ready our coffee, and Lucien crouching close to the fire, pilingup a quantity of dry branches round the kettle, at some risk, however, of upsetting it. 

"Why, Lucien, " I cried, "it is not light yet, and you are up already!Didn't you sleep well?"

"Oh yes, papa, " he answered, kissing me; "but l'Encuerado disturbedGringalet, so he thought proper to come and lie down on _me_, and thatwoke me, for Gringalet is very heavy. So, as I couldn't go to sleepagain, I got up to look after the fire. "

"And you are doing your work capitally. The kettle is singing loudly, and l'Encuerado will find it difficult to take it off without burninghis fingers. "

But the Indian had provided himself with two green branches, which heused to lift off the make-shift coffee-pot, into which he emptied boththe sugar and the coffee. 

"Where is the filter?" asked Lucien. 

"Do you think you are still in the town?" I replied. "Why don't you askfor a cup and saucer as well?"

"But we can never drink this black muddy stuff!" cried Lucien. 

"Never mind, Chanito, " said the Indian; "I'll soon make it all right. "

Then, taking his gourd, he poured from it some cold water into themixture, and it immediately became cleared. 

I told Lucien to go and wake up Sumichrast. 

The child approached our companion, who was scarcely visible under theleaves, which served him both for coverlet and pillow. 

"Hallo! hallo! M. Sumichrast; the soup is on the table. "

"Soup!" repeated Sumichrast, rubbing his eyes. "Ah! you little monkey, you have disturbed me in such a pleasant dream. I fancied that I was noolder than you, and that I was once more wandering over the mountains ofmy native land. "

It is considered wholesome to take a cup of Mocha after a hearty meal;but, with all due deference to Grimod de la Reynière and BrillatSavarin, coffee seems still sweeter to the taste when taken at fiveo'clock in the morning, after passing the night in the open air. 

The day broke; it was a magnificent sight to see the forest graduallylighted up, and the trunks of the trees gilded by slanting sunbeams. Before starting again, one of our party carefully examined the ground onwhich we had camped, so as not to forget any of our effects, which, iflost, would have been irreparable. I also noticed that l'Encuerado'sbasket was decked with the three squirrels' skins, which would thusgradually dry. 

We had walked on for nearly an hour, the only incident being our meetingwith various kinds of birds, when the melancholy cry of the _couroucou_struck on our ears. The call of this bird is very much like that utteredby the Mexican ox-drivers when they herd together the animals undertheir care; hence its Spanish name of _vaquero_. We gave chase to them, and in less than half an hour we had obtained a male and female. Lucienwas never tired of admiring these beautiful creatures, with their yellowbeaks, hooked like those of birds of prey. The male bird, in particular, was magnificent; the feathers on the head and back seemed to be "shot"with a golden green, while the edges of the wings and the belly weretinted with the purest crimson, shaded off into two black lines, whichextended as far as the tail. 

"Shall we find many of these birds in the forest, M. Sumichrast?" askedLucien. 

"No, Master 'Sunbeam;' they are rather rare; so we must take great careof the skins of these we have shot. "

"Is their flesh good to eat?" he asked. 

"Excellent; and many a gourmand would be glad to make a meal of it. However, at dinner-time, you shall try for yourself; and you will meetwith very few people who, like you, have partaken of the _trogonmassena_. "

"At all events, it isn't another relation of the rat--is it?" asked theboy, archly. 

"No; it belongs to the family of climbers--that is to say, to thatorder of birds which have two toes in front of their claws and twobehind, like your great friends the parrots. "

After we had dressed the skins of the couroucous, and carefully wrappedup the game, we again moved on. The ground became stony, and the descentsteeper. At one time I had hoped to find a spring at the bottom of theravine; but we very soon discovered, to our great disappointment, thatwe should have to begin climbing again, leaving behind us the oaks andthe _ceibas_, and meeting with nothing but gigantic pine-trees. The_pine-needles_, [H] which literally carpeted the ground, made it soslippery, that for every step forward we frequently took two backward. We fell time after time, but our falls were not in the least degreedangerous. Sometimes, as if at a signal, we all four rolled downtogether, and each laughed at his neighbor's misfortune, thus cheeringone another. Lucien had an idea of hanging on to Gringalet's tail, whowas the only one that could avoid these mishaps. This plan answered verywell at first; but the dog soon after broke away by a sudden jerk, andthe boy rolled backward like a ball, losing all the ground he hadgained, but he at once got up again, quite in a pet with the dog, forwhom he predicted a fall as a punishment for his treacherous behavior. 

The troublesome pine-needles obliged us again to resort to the stake andlasso plan; l'Encuerado, with his load, strove in vain to keep up withus. 

"Can any one understand the use of these horrible trees?" grumbled theIndian. "Why can't they keep their leaves to themselves? Why don't theygrow in the plains, instead of making honest folks wear the flesh offtheir bones in a place which is quite difficult enough to traverse as itis?"

"God makes them grow here, " said the child. 

"Not at all, Chanito; God created them, but the devil has sown them onthese mountains. I have travelled on the large plateau, where there arewhole forests of pines, which proves that it was only for spite thatthey grow on this ascent. "

Fortunately Lucien only half believed what the Indian said, and verysoon asked me all about it. 

"The pines, " I replied, "are trees of the North, which never grow wellexcept in cold climates and dry soils. If l'Encuerado had beenacquainted with the history of his ancestors, he would have been able togive you some better information about them; he would have known that, in the Aztec mythology, they were sacred to the mother of the gods, thegoddess Matlacueye, who, curiously enough, fills the part of Cybeleamong the Greek goddesses, whose favorite tree was also the pine. "

Just at this moment we were passing close to a giant of the forest, which had been broken by a squall of wind; from three or four cracks inits trunk a transparent resin ran trickling out. Lucien, thinking theseglobules were solid, wished to take hold of one of them; but his fingersstuck to it. 

"I fancied, " said he, "that turpentine was obtained by crushing thebranches of the pine-tree, just as they crush the stems of thesugar-cane. "

"You were wrong, then, " I answered. "The Indians, in the forests wherethey manufacture it, content themselves with cutting down the treewithin a foot of the ground; the resin at once begins to ooze out, andgradually fills the leathern bottles placed to receive it. As soon asthe resin ceases to flow, they cut the tree up into fagots for the useof the inhabitants of the towns, or the Indians living on plains, whosepoor dwellings often possess no other light than the smoky glimmer froma branch of fir. "

I was obliged to cut short my explanations, in order to help Sumichrastand l'Encuerado, who, in spite of the lasso, seemed as if they weretrying who could slip fastest. The only way we could get on at all wasby describing zigzags, and thus we were two hours in climbing a quarterof a league. At last we arrived on the verge of the forest. The rockyground seemed quite pleasant to walk upon: we could now advance in astraight line, and were able, with very little trouble, to reach anothersummit. 

From the crest a marvellous panoramic view was in sight, for weoverlooked all the surrounding country. On our left rose the giganticand majestic peak of Orizava or Citlatepetl--that is, the "mountain ofthe star"--which rises to 17, 372 feet above the sea-level. Lucienthought that this could not really be the same mountain the summit ofwhich he was in the habit of seeing every morning. 

"It is quite a different shape, " he said. 

"It is not the mountain, but the point from which you look at it, thathas changed its appearance, " replied Sumichrast. 

"But it looks much higher, " said Lucien. 

"That is because we are nearer to it. From here we can discern thebeautiful forest which surrounds its base as you ascend, the pinesgrowing farther and farther apart, and gradually disappearingaltogether. Higher still may be seen the glaciers glittering in the sun;and, last of all, the perpetual snow surrounding the crater, which wasvisited for the first time in 1847, by M. Doignon, a Frenchman. "

"Popocatepetl, Istaccihuatl, " said l'Encuerado gravely, pointing out themountains. 

The two mountains mentioned by the Indian were towering up behind us--asight that alone repaid for our difficult ascent; we could admire inturn the three loftiest volcanoes in Mexico. 

"Where is Popocatepetl?" asked Lucien. 

"There; that enormous cone which rises to our right, " I answered, pointing in that direction. 

"Is it the smallest of the three?"

"No; on the contrary, it does not measure less than 18, 000 feet inheight. Dias Ordas, one of the captains of Fernando Cortez, made itsfirst ascent. Its name signifies 'smoking mountain. '"

"Yes; and I know that Istaccihuatl means 'white woman;' but I do notknow the height of it. "

"It is 15, 700 feet above the level of the sea. "

"How can mountains like these be measured?" asked Lucien. 

"In the first place, by geometrical calculations, and then, by the aidof a barometer, when an ascent has been made. The column of mercury inthe instrument falls in proportion as the barometer is carried up themountain, because the air which presses upon the mercury reservoirbecomes less and less dense. "

I quite forgot the lapse of time while contemplating the gloriouspanorama spread beneath. Just around us the ground was rocky andvolcanic, and covered with mosses of various colors; rather lower downthe ground was hidden by the fallen leaves of giant trees; beyond was asuccession of smaller crests, frequently quite barren, sometimes coveredwith sun-scorched verdure. On the horizon, which was hidden by atransparent mist, the two volcanoes of the plateau stood out in boldrelief against the blue sky, facing the other colossus, which seemed toprotect us with its shadow. The peaks of these mountains, clad withtheir perpetual snow, can be seen by sailors forty leagues at sea. 

I was really sorry to give the signal for departure. We again met withthe pine-needles, and though our ascent was difficult and slow, ourdescent was proportionably rapid. Thus we fell forward instead offalling backward. Gringalet, who seemed amused at our ridiculouspostures, and was too confident in his own powers, shared our mishaps, much to the amusement of his young master, who had predicted that suchwould happen. L'Encuerado, utterly tired out, bethought himself ofdragging his basket along the ground, which was so thickly covered withleaves that he managed it without damaging his load or breaking thebottles. 

At last we came upon oak vegetation; and, still farther down, tropicalplants. Various birds enlivened our journey by their song, while numbersof brilliant-colored insects hummed cheerfully round us. In less than anhour we had passed from autumn to spring, after having had a glimpse ofwinter. The creepers very soon obliged us to cut a passage with our_machetes_; but what was our joy upon perceiving, at the bottom of theravine, a stream bordered with angelica and water-cress!

Thanks to the abundance of materials, our hut was quickly constructed. While l'Encuerado was getting dinner ready, I went to examine thehalf-rotten trunk of a tree which was lying on the ground. A multitudeof insects, of an elegant shape and of a metallic-blue color, fled at myapproach; they belonged to the numerous _Carabus_ family, theflesh-eating _Coleopteræ_, which are found both in Europe and inAmerica. 

"Why don't they fly away, instead of running or tumbling over on theground?" asked Lucien. 

"Because they are but little used to flying, and are very quick atwalking, " I answered. 

"Oh papa! the one I have caught has wetted my fingers, and it feels asif it had burned me. "

"You are right; but you needn't be afraid; it will not hurt you. Manyof the _Carabus_ family, when they are caught, try to defend themselvesby throwing out a corrosive liquid; others make a report, accompanied bysmoke, which has given them their name of _bombardier_. "

"What do they find to eat under the bark, in which they must lead a verygloomy life?"

"Larvæ and caterpillars; they are, therefore, more useful thaninjurious. "

"To what order of insects do they belong?"

"To the Coleoptera order, because they have four wings, the largest ofwhich, called _elytra_, are more or less hard, and justify their name[I]by encasing the two other wings, which are membranous and foldedcrosswise. The cock-chafer, you know, is one of this order. "

A fresh piece of bark revealed to us two scorpions with enormousbellies, and heads so small as to be almost imperceptible; all they didwas to stiffen out their tails, which are composed of six divisions, thelast terminating in an extremely slender barb. 

"Oh, what horrid creatures!" cried Lucien, starting back; "if it wasn'tfor their light color, you might take them for prawns with their headscut off. "

"Yes, if you didn't examine them too closely. I suppose you will be verysurprised when I tell you that they are allied to the spider tribe. "

"I should never have suspected it. Are they dead, then, for they do notmove?"

"Insects belonging to this order are very slow and lazy in theirmovements. They are found under most kinds of bark; therefore I adviseyou to take care when searching through it. "

"Should I die if I were stung?"

"No; but it would cause a very painful swelling, which it would be bestto avoid. "

"I shall be afraid to meddle with the bark of trees, now. "

"Then good-bye to your making a collection of insects. Prudence is avery good quality, but you must not make it an excuse for cowardice. "

Upon examining the insects more closely, I saw that one of thescorpions, a female, was carrying three or four young ones on her back. This sight much amused Lucien, especially when he saw the animal beginto move slowly off with them. 

"Do you know, Chanito, " said l'Encuerado, who had now joined us, whichshowed that the cooking did not require his undivided attention, "thatwhen the mother of the young scorpions does not supply them with food, they set to and devour her. "

"Is that true?" asked Lucien, with surprise. 

"If the little ones do not actually kill their mother, at all eventsthey feed on her dead body, " I answered. "You will have plenty ofopportunities to verify this fact, for these insects are very plentifulin the _Terre-Tempérée_. "

"Ah!" cried Lucien, "I was quite right, then, when I called them horridcreatures. "

L'Encuerado, stripping off another piece of bark, exposed to view asalamander, which awkwardly tried to hide itself. 

"You may catch it if you like; there is nothing to be afraid of, " said Ito Lucien, who had drawn back in fright. 

"But it is a scorpion!" he exclaimed. 

"You are too frightened to see clearly; it is a salamander, anamphibious reptile of the frog family. The scorpion has eight feet, while the salamander, which is much more like a lizard, has only four. "

"Are they venomous?" asked Lucien of the Indian. 

"No, Chanito; _Indians_" (it was well worth while hearing the contemptwith which l'Encuerado pronounced this name) "are afraid of it; once Iwas afraid of it myself, but your papa has taught me to handle itwithout the least fear. "

And the hunter placed the salamander in the boy's hand, who cried out--

"It is as cold as ice, and all sticky. "

"It must be so, as a matter of course; the salamander, like a fish, is acold-blooded animal. The viscous humor which is secreted by the skin ofthe salamander is able to protect them for a short time from injury byfire, by means of the same phenomenon by which a hand, previouslywetted, can be plunged into melting iron without burning it. [J] Thus anidea has arisen that these batrachians can exist in the midst of flames. Although these poor animals are deaf, nearly blind, and remarkable fortheir timidity, poets, much to the amusement of naturalists, have chosenthe salamander as an emblem of valor. "

Assisted by Sumichrast, I continued the examination of the immense tree, which, being half rotted by the dampness of the soil, supplied us withsome very beautiful specimens of various insects. 

Suddenly we heard Lucien speaking in supplicating tones; I ran towardshim, and found him trying to prevent l'Encuerado, who had got possessionof the salamander, from making a trial of its powers of resisting fire. 

"All right, Chanito; I will not leave it long on the coals; your papasaid that these animals do not mind it a bit. "

Lucien would not consent to this cruel experiment, but carried theanimal back to the tree on which we had found it. 

The day was drawing to a close when we returned to the fire; from thestew-pan an appetizing odor was escaping, in which one of thecouroucous, with a handful of rice, was boiling, while the other birdwas roasting in front. It was really a capital dinner; first we had someexcellent soup, of which Lucien had two platefuls; then came what wasleft of our squirrel, and last of all the roasted couroucou, whichl'Encuerado served up on a bed of water-cresses. We had an unlimitedsupply of water; and, although my readers may smile at what I say, Ireally believe we drank too much. A cup of coffee crowned our feast, andthen the remains were left to Gringalet, who licked every thing clean, even to the very saucepan. Lucien, having finished his meal, lay down bymy side, and was not long before he was fast asleep. 

[Illustration]

A dismal howling from our four-footed companion woke us up with a start. We seized our arms. The dog, with his ears laid back, his tail betweenhis legs, turned his nose to the wind with an anxious glance, and set upa fresh howl, which was answered by the shrill prolonged cries of thecoyotas, or jackal of Mexico. 

[Illustration: "It was really a capital dinner. "]

"So these miserable brutes think they are going to frighten us?" criedl'Encuerado. 

And while we were making up the fire, the Indian rushed off into thedarkness. 

"Are they wolves, M. Sumichrast?" asked Lucien, anxiously. 

"Yes, my boy, but only prairie wolves, " he answered. 

"Do you think that they will first devour l'Encuerado, and then attackus?"

"You needn't be frightened; courage is not one of their virtues. Unlessthey were starving, they wouldn't venture near us. "

All at once we heard a shot. The whole forest seemed in movement; thecries of the birds resounded through the trees, and the echoes repeatedthe noise of the report. Gringalet barked loudly, and was again answeredby the harsh cry of the coyotas. At length the silence, which for ashort time had been disturbed, was once more restored, and the forestresumed its solemn stillness. 

[Illustration]

FOOTNOTES:

[H] The small tapering leaves of the pine are thus called. 

[I] Elytra is derived from a Greek word, [Greek: elytrou], a sheath. 

[J] Thanks to the spheroidal condition of water, discovered by M. Boutigny (of Evreux). 

[Illustration]

CHAPTER VII. 

 THE CATS'-EYES POMADE. --ARMADILLO. --LUCIEN AND THE CRUEL FERN. -THE FALLEN MOUNTAIN. --THE WOODPECKER. --THE BASILISK. --L'ENCUERADO'S FRESH IDEA. 

Gringalet, who had been the first to give the alarm, was also the firstto go to sleep again. I could not help waiting with some degree ofanxiety for l'Encuerado's return. In a quarter of an hour, as the Indiandid not arrive, I began to think that, confused by the darkness, he hadmissed finding our bivouac. After having called him two or three times, without receiving any answer, I was just going to fire off my gun, sothat the noise of the report might serve as a guide to him, when I heardthe sound of his guttural cry. 

"What on earth has possessed you to chase useless game at this hour ofthe night?" I cried, as he came into sight. 

"I felt bound to give these screeching animals a lesson, señor; if Ihadn't done so, they would have come back to disturb us every night, "answered the Indian, gravely. 

"Have you killed any of them?"

"I only managed to wound one. I followed it--"

"At the risk of falling into some pit. You can't see at night--at least, as far as I know. "

"Not very well; but that is all your fault, " replied l'Encuerado, in areproachful tone. 

"What! my fault?"

"The _brujos_ (sorcerers) have many a time offered me an ointment madeof cats' eyes and fat; but they wanted too much for it. You knew muchmore about it than the sorcerers; and if you would only have told me theway to make the ointment, and how to use it, I should have been able tosee at night, long enough ago, which would be quite as useful to you asto me. "

This was an old story, and all that I could have said to the Indianwould not have convinced him that I could not make him see in the dark. 

It was broad daylight when Sumichrast awoke us. The brook, which wecould cross at a leap, sometimes rippled over pebbles, and sometimesglided silently over a sandy bottom. The plants which grew on its twobanks fraternally intertwined their green branches, and their flowersseemed to exchange their perfumes. From the boughs of the large treeshung gray mosses, which made them look like gigantic old men; the sungilded their black trunks with its rising beams, and from the tops ofthe trees the sweet chant of birds rose up towards heaven. Our eyes, which had become accustomed to the comparatively barren places we hadtraversed the day before, dwelt with delight upon this lovely andglorious scene; our hearts rejoiced in the midst of this calm andluxuriant aspect of nature. It was with feelings of regret we got readyto move on again. 

"Suppose we weren't to go till the afternoon, " said Sumichrast. 

"Suppose we don't go till to-morrow, " I answered. 

These ideas seemed so thoroughly to respond to the wish of all, that, ina moment, our travelling gear was scattered again on the ground. Thefirst thing we did was to take a bath; then the thought struck us thatwe had better wash our clothes. Lucien, helped by l'Encuerado, who hadnothing to wash for himself, as he wore his leather garment next to hisskin, laughed heartily at seeing us turned into washerwomen; still hedid not do his part of the work at all badly. He then undertook to washGringalet, whose white coat, spotted with black, was sadly in want ofcleansing. Unfortunately, the dog was hardly out of the water when hebegan rolling himself in the dust, and, as dirty as ever, came friskingaround his disappointed little master. 

We were roaming about in every direction, in the hope of collecting someinsects, when Gringalet pricked up his ears and showed his teeth. Therustling of dry leaves attracted our attention to a slope opposite tous, on which an armadillo was seen. 

Generally speaking, these animals only go out for food in the night. This one, which we saw in broad daylight, was about the size of a largerabbit. Pricking up its ears, it raised its tapering muzzle so as tosnuff closer to the branches. Its head, which was very small, gave it avery grotesque appearance. Suddenly it began scratching up the earthwith its front paws, furnished with formidable claws, and now and thenpoked its pointed nose into the hole it had dug. I had crossed thestream, and was advancing cautiously towards the animal, when I saw itleave off its work, and, bending down its head uneasily, as quick aslightning it rolled itself up into a ball and glided down the slope. Just at my feet it stopped, and I only had to stoop down in order topick it up. Gringalet, who then appeared at the top of the slope, wasevidently the cause of its sudden flight. 

I rejoined my companions, carrying my prisoner, who tried neither todefend itself nor to escape. Lucien examined with curiosity the scaleswhich crossed the back of the armadillo, and its pink transparent skin. I told him that this inoffensive animal, which feeds on insects androots, belonged to the order Edentata--mammals in which the system ofteeth is incomplete. 

"But, " said he, "I have seen pictures in which armadillos arerepresented with armor formed of small squares. "

"That is another species, which also lives in Mexico, " repliedSumichrast. 

When we talked about killing the animal, Lucien opposed the idea withgreat vehemence. He wanted either to carry it away alive or to let itgo--both being plans which could not be allowed. Gringalet, however, cutshort the discussion by strangling it, l'Encuerado's carelessness havingleft it in his way. The boy, both angry and distressed, was astonishedat the cruelty of his dog, and was going to beat him. 

"He has only yielded to instinct, " said Sumichrast. 

"A fine instinct, truly, " replied Lucien, in tears, "to kill a poorbeast that never did him any harm!"

"He has saved us the trouble of killing it. Men, and all carnivorousanimals, can not live except on the condition of sacrificing othercreatures. Didn't you shoot a squirrel yesterday? And you did not refuseyour share of those beautiful birds, the plumage of which so delightedyou. "

"Yes, but I did not strangle the squirrel with my teeth. It's a verydifferent thing. "

"For you, very probably; but it was much the same to the squirrel. However, if there's another chance, you shall lend your gun toGringalet. "

Lucien smiled through his tears, and his indignation gradually calmeddown. Certainly the result is the same, whether you wring a fowl's neckor shoot it; yet I could never make up my mind to the former operation. Lucien, who was endowed with almost feminine sensibility, was oftenangry with l'Encuerado, who could scarcely resist the temptation offiring at any thing alive, useful or not, which came within reach of hisgun. We had spoken often enough to the Indian on the subject, but healways asserted that if God had allowed man to kill for the purpose offood, He had also ordered him to destroy hurtful animals, as they werethe allies of the demon. Unfortunately, horses and dogs excepted, allanimals were hurtful in l'Encuerado's eyes. 

Gun on shoulder, we made our way up the bed of the stream, often beingobliged to cut our path through a thicket of plants. I noticed a finetree-fern, the leaves of which, not yet developed, assumed the shape ofa bishop's crosier. Lucien remarked this. 

"You are right, " said I, "it is very curious. Do you know Jussieudivided all vegetables into three great orders--_Acotyledons_, _Monocotyledons_, and _Dicotyledons_. Ferns belong to the first;[K] theyhave no visible flowers, and are allied to the sea-weed and mushroomtribe. It is only under the tropics that ferns attain the dimensions ofthe one you are looking at; in colder regions their height seldomexceeds a few feet. Ferns formed almost the sole vegetation of theprimitive world, and we frequently find evidence of some giganticspecies which are now extinct. "

Lucien, being desirous to examine the crosier-shaped stalks, allowed usto get in front of him, then crept under the fern. 

As the leaves of this shrub are furnished underneath with long prickles, when he wanted to rejoin us he found himself caught. The more hestruggled the worse he became entangled. He cried out to me in a mostdistressed voice, and not knowing what had happened, I lost no time ingoing back to him. I found him fighting hard against the thorns whichwere scratching his face and hands. L'Encuerado and Sumichrast also cameto his assistance. 

I disentangled the boy as quickly as I could; but already he had severalscratches over his face and hands. 

"How came you not to think, " I said, "that by struggling in this way youwould only the more entangle yourself?"

"I saw you all leaving me; I scarcely knew what held me back, and I gotquite frightened; but I'm not crying, papa, and yet the fern-pricklesscratch terribly. "

L'Encuerado turned up his sleeves, and, seizing his _machete_, rushed atthe fern. 

"Are not you ashamed to attack a child?" he cried. "It's all very fineto display your bishop's crosier and then behave in this way! Try andtear my coat! I know you wouldn't dare to do it! Never mind, though!I'll punish you for your malice. "

The poor plant, alas! was soon cut down; thus the growth of years wasdestroyed in a few minutes. 

After an hour's walking, the head of our little column suddenly came infront of a whole mountain-side which had slid from its originalposition. The sight was a magnificent one; the accumulation of rocks, piled one on the other, had crushed down in their fall the trees thatimpeded their course. We saw before us an inextricable pile of trunks, monstrous roots, and masses of rock, suspended and apparently ready tofall. The catastrophe must have recently occurred; for here and there abranch was still covered with foliage, and the grass had not as yetcarpeted the immense gap. Lucien was so astonished at the wild grandeurof the scene that it actually put an end to his chatter. Withoutspeaking, we joined Sumichrast, who was in advance. That a lagoon musthave been filled up by the avalanche of rocks, we saw certainindications. We could hear the rumbling noise of water flowing beneathus. On our left, at the foot of the mountain, extended a wide basin, which, from its regular outline, might well have been made by the handof man. 

Every thing seemed silent and deserted around us, although the bushesthat margined the edge of the lagoon must once have sheltered many aguest; now the imposing grandeur of the scene had awed them, or driventhem off. 

"How could such a great mass as this fall down?" asked Lucien. 

"We can only conjecture, " replied Sumichrast; "perhaps the streamflowing beneath the base of the rocks had excavated fissures, and thusundermined it. "

"The noise must have been terrific, " said Lucien. 

"Doubtless it was, " replied Sumichrast; "and the shock possibly felt formany leagues round. "

"Have you ever seen a mountain fall in two like that, M. Sumichrast?"

"Yes; I did five years ago, when I was in company with your father. Awhole forest disappeared before our eyes in a land-slip, which alsooverwhelmed four or five Indian huts. In a year from the present time, the wilderness of bare rocks that we see before us will be again coveredwith thick vegetation; mosses will grow over these gray-colored rocks, and the stream will have renewed its course. If chance should ever leadus again to this spot, the rich foliage and flowers would almost preventour recognizing the desolation which now impresses us so much. "

I crossed the stream, in order to reach our bivouac by the opposite bankto that which we had hitherto followed. Suddenly a noise, like a malletstriking the trunk of a tree, attracted our attention. 

"You told me just now there was no one but ourselves in the forest, "cried Lucien. 

"Chut!" replied l'Encuerado; "it is nothing but a large woodpecker. "

And each of us glided under the bushes and tried to get near the wingedworkman, who so loudly betrayed his presence. Ten minutes elapsed, butall was silent, and the object of our search appeared to have moved off. In fact, we were about to give up the pursuit, when three blows, struckat regular intervals, resounded near us. 

The _Carpintero_ (carpenter), for such it is called in Mexico, has verybrilliant yellow eyes, red feathers upon the head, while the body isdark-colored streaked with white. It climbs easily up the trunks oftrees, resting upon its tail-feathers. At length we observed it, and aswe looked, admiring its plumage, it again struck three resounding blows, and ran round the tree as if to inspect the other side. 

"The fool!" muttered l'Encuerado; "he thinks he can pierce a tree asthick as my body with three pecks of his beak! He'll soon be eaten. "

And he fired at the bird and hit it. 

"I say, papa, did the woodpecker really want to pierce this big tree?"

"No, my boy; that is a popular but unfounded idea. The woodpeckerstrikes the trees in order to frighten the insects that are concealedunder the bark; and the action which l'Encuerado has interpreted in hisown way is performed with a view of getting hold of the fugitives. "

Sumichrast showed Lucien that the woodpecker, aided by its wedge-shapedbeak, could, in case of need, rip up the bark under which its prey wasto be found; that his tongue, covered with spines bending backward, iswell adapted to seize the larvæ; and, lastly, that the stiff and elasticfeathers of its tail afford it a very useful support in the exercise ofits laborious vocation. 

"You often get the better of me in argument, " said l'Encuerado; "butit's no use your saying that woodpeckers do not bore into trees, for Ihave seen them doing it. "

"You are right, up to a certain point, " replied Sumichrast; "somespecies make their nests in dead trees, which their beaks can with easepenetrate. As for piercing sound trees, that's quite another question. "

While l'Encuerado was preparing the armadillo and the woodpecker, whichwe were to have for dinner, we walked down the course of the stream, theagreeable freshness of which was very pleasant to us. All at once Lucienpointed out to me a basilisk sitting on a stone, the rays of the sunsetting off its bright shades--yellow, green, and red. This member ofthe Iguana family, which bears no resemblance to the fabulous basiliskof the Greeks, got up at our approach, puffed out its throat, and shookthe membranous crest on the top of its head. Its bright eye seemed toscan the horizon; no doubt it caught sight of us, for its flaccid bodystiffened out, and with a rapid bound it sprang into the stream. Thereptile raised its chest in swimming, beating the water with its forepaws as if with oars. We soon lost sight of it, to Lucien's greatsorrow, for he wanted to obtain a further inspection of it. 

[Illustration: "The dog began to howl desperately. "]

Gathering round the fire, we arranged our baggage, ready to start thenext morning. As there was still another hour's daylight, Lucienremained with l'Encuerado, and I went with Sumichrast to reconnoitre theroute we intended to take. 

The sun was setting, and we were slowly approaching our bivouac, whenGringalet's whine met our ears. I hastened forward, for the dog began tohowl desperately. I reached the hut quite out of breath. Every thingseemed right, but Lucien and l'Encuerado had disappeared. I lookedanxiously into my companion's face. 

"No doubt, " said Sumichrast, "l'Encuerado has gone to take a stroll, andleft the dog asleep. "

I raised a call-cry. What was my surprise at hearing it answered from upabove us. My son and the Indian were sitting thirty feet from theground, hidden in the foliage of a gigantic tree. My first impulse wasto address l'Encuerado rather angrily. 

"Don't flurry him, " said Sumichrast; "he'll need all his presence ofmind to get the boy down safely. "

With an anxiety which may be easily understood, I watched all themovements of the lad, who was every now and then concealed by theleaves. 

"Gently, " cried l'Encuerado; "put your foot there. Well done! Now layhold of this branch and slide down. Don't be afraid; I'll not let yougo. How pleased and proud your papa will be when he knows how high youhave climbed!"

The Indian was wrong; I was neither pleased nor proud. The trunk of thetree was five or six feet in circumference; the first branches sprang ata point no less than seven to ten feet from the ground, and I could notmake out how the boy managed to reach them. As for l'Encuerado, orrather the _ape_ that went by that name, I knew that no obstacle couldstop _him_. 

I must, however, confess that I felt all my anger melting away when Isaw the skill and coolness of the young acrobat. Certainly, Sumichrastappealed to my own reminiscences, and offered to lay me a wager that Ihad climbed many a poplar without the advantage of such superintendenceas l'Encuerado's. At last the two gymnasts reached the lowest branches, and I breathed more freely. 

"Papa, " cried the child, "we climbed right to the top, and there found anest and a squirrel's hiding-place. "

"Have you suddenly gone mad?" said I, interrupting him and addressingthe Indian. 

"Mad!" repeated he, with the most sublime simplicity. "Why?"

"Couldn't you have chosen a tree that was not so tall?"

"Don't you wish Chanito to learn to climb? At all events, the señoraintrusted him to me. "

"And so you risk his breaking his bones?"

"I'm not a child, " replied the Indian, proudly, standing upright on abranch. 

"Enough of these gymnastics! Come down at once; although God knows howyou are going to manage it. "

The words were hardly out of my mouth when Lucien reached the ground, suspended by a _lasso_ which l'Encuerado had tied under his arms. TheIndian had pulled him up to the lowest branches in the same way. 

"You have not acted sensibly, " said I to the Indian; "we do not begin tolearn to ride by mounting a wild horse. Lucien doesn't know yet how toclimb high trees. "

"Lucien can climb as well as I can, " retorted the culprit; "he has nevereaten an orange out of your garden without clambering up to gather ithimself. "

"That's something new to me, " said I, looking hard at my son, whoblushed. "At any rate, orange-trees are very different in size fromcotton-woods, so you risked killing him. "

"No; I kept tight hold of him. You very well know that if Chanito werelikely to come to his death by my fault, I should die first. "

"That wouldn't bring the boy to life again. There will be plenty ofdangers in our excursion without seeking them out for mere pleasure. Iwant to bring you all back safe and sound to Orizava; therefore, don'tlet us have any more of these ascents. "

Having uttered this remonstrance, I turned on my heel, for it was no usetrying to have the last word with l'Encuerado. I was, however, quitesure that he would not renew the exploit which had displeased me, andthat was all I wished. 

At supper-time, Gringalet did not show any repugnance to the flesh ofthe armadillo, the taste of which reminded Lucien of sucking-pig. 

"Are armadillos very scarce?" he asked; "they are never sold in themarket. "

"Just the contrary, " replied Sumichrast; "they are very common, and theIndians never fail to feast on them when they can procure them. "

"What does the name armadillo mean?"

"It is a Paraguayan word, the meaning of which is, 'encased in armor. 'The Aztecs call the animal _ayotochitl_, that is, 'gourd-rabbit'--'rabbit'on account of its ears, and 'gourd' because, when it rolls itself up ina ball, it reminds one of that vegetable. "

L'Encuerado had gone to sleep. Lucien soon went into the hut, and Inoticed that Sumichrast carefully arranged the leaves which were to formour bed, although he himself lay down anywhere. I was much less inclinedfor sleep than my companions, and contemplated them all reposing;reflecting on the strange chance which united, under the same shelter, in the midst of the wilderness, persons born of such distinct races andin such different climates. We could all surely depend on one another, for in previous expeditions our mutual friendship had been put to theproof. Seeing how well Lucien bore the fatigue, I rejoiced that I hadbrought him under the protection of such good guardians. When I enteredthe hut to seek repose, I disturbed Gringalet, who, before lying downagain by his young master, licked his hand: here was another devotedfriend--"the dog, which combines all man's better qualities, " as Charletobserves. 

[Illustration]

FOOTNOTE:

[K] That is, a plant devoid of _lobes_. 

[Illustration]

CHAPTER VIII. 

A VULTURE'S FEAST. --DRAGON'S BLOOD. --A CORAL SERPENT. --THE OWL. --MEXICANMOLES. --TOUCANS. --THE SCOLOPACIDÆ. --L'ENCUERADO TURNED TAILOR. --SUNSET. 

We left our bivouac at daybreak, first ascending and then descending, sometimes making our way through thickets and other times throughglades; suddenly a flock of vultures attracted our attention. A hideousspectacle was now presented to our eyes. A _coyote_--doubtless thatwhich l'Encuerado had wounded the day before--lay half devoured on theground, and more than fifty guests were coming in turn for their share, and to tear, in turn, a strip of flesh from the carcass. 

"What frightful creatures!" cried Lucien. "I can't think why the nastysmell does not drive them away. "

"It is just the reverse; it is the smell which attracts them, " Ireplied. "Even when they are soaring high up in the sky, and scan thehorizon with their yellow eyes, their subtle sense of smell enables themto catch the effluvia of the putrefied matter on which they feed. "

In some of the towns of Mexico the black vultures are sonumerous--living there, as they do, almost tame in the streets--that ouryoung companion was well acquainted with these birds; but he had neverbeen present at one of their joint meals. The sight of one of theirbare, black, and wrinkled necks, plunged into the body of the animal, made him almost ill. 

"Poh!--what disgusting birds!" he cried. 

"You are wrong, " I said; "the birds are only obeying the instinctimplanted in them. Henceforward you will understand better the name ofthe 'rapacious order' or 'birds of prey, ' which is given by naturaliststo vultures, eagles, falcons, and owls. You are aware that the sciencewhich describes the habits of birds is called _ornithology_. Cuvier, thegreat classifier, divides the feathered tribe into six orders--birds ofprey, passerines, climbers, gallinaceans, wading, and web-footed birds. In order to prevent confusion, the orders have been subdivided intofamilies, the families into groups, the groups into genera, and thegenera into species. "

"How are they all to be recognized?"

"By the study of certain special characteristics, which serve asdistinguishing marks. Birds of prey, for instance, have curved beaks andclaws, legs feathered either to the knee or down to the foot, three toesin front, and one behind; also, the back and inside toe are strongerthan the others. The vultures which you are looking at, the onlybirds of the order which live in flocks, belong to the _Cathartus_genus. "[L]

[Illustration: "A flock of vultures attracted our attention. "]

"Look! there are some which keep at a distance. They look as if theywere afraid. "

"No; they have gorged themselves, and are now digesting their meal;unless danger compel them to take flight, they will remain motionlessuntil sunset. "

"Will they attack live creatures?"

"Very rarely; for they are dreadful cowards, and, besides, do not caremuch for fresh meat. "

We had now left far behind us the miserable crew of carrion-eaters, whenLucien suddenly cried out--

"Oh, papa! look, there's a bleeding tree!"

"It is a _pterocarpus_; that is, a vegetable with membranes resemblingthe wing of a bird. The red sap which is trickling down from its bark iscalled _dragon's blood_, thus named by the Greeks, who ascribed to it afabulous origin. The _blood-tree_, for so the Indians designate it, isallied to the asparagus and lily genera, and the gum which exudes fromit is a good remedy for dysentery. "

L'Encuerado picked off a few dry flakes of this invaluable production;and then, dipping his finger into some of the drops which were stillliquid, he rubbed it all over Gringalet's legs and paws, who was thusprovided with red top-boots. As a matter of fact, this operation musthave had a good effect upon the animal; for this gum, being very rich intannin, was certain to brace the tissues and muscles; but the firstsensation of it seemed to distress the poor beast, who ran along liftingup his legs in a very comical fashion. 

"Gringalet walks very much in the same way that l'Encuerado did thetime he put on his beautiful blue slippers, " remarked Lucien, in greatglee. 

"You don't mean to say, " said Sumichrast, "that l'Encuerado ever woreblue slippers?"

"Yes; the other day there was a dinner-party, and mamma told him todress himself as well as he could. He at once ran off to buy a pair ofpumps he had seen in a shop, and, just at the moment they were allsitting down to dinner, he made his appearance in his newfoot-coverings, and--a cravat!"

"A cravat!" repeated Sumichrast, more surprised than ever. 

"Yes, a real cravat; but as he had never before worn any thing on hisfeet but sandals, he lifted them up when he walked just as Gringaletdoes now. Mamma advised him to put on his sandals again; but he wouldnot obey her, so he was well punished, for he tripped up and broke awhole pile of plates. It was not until after this misfortune that hecould be persuaded to take off his blue pumps; and even then he couldnot bear to part with them altogether, so he hung them round his neck, and kept on waiting at table, as proud as possible with his granddecoration. "

This adventure was only too true, and Sumichrast listened to it withshouts of laughter. 

"Why did you hang the shoes round your neck instead of putting them awayin a corner?" asked Sumichrast of the Indian. 

"I did it to let all the world know that I had bought them, and thatthey belonged to me, " replied l'Encuerado. 

[Illustration: "Lucien loudly called out to me. "]

Our encampment was established at the entrance of a fresh glade. L'Encuerado had killed five or six small birds; we were, therefore, certain of something for dinner. We had scarcely finished our buildingoperations, when Lucien, who had been prowling about, lifting upstones and looking under stubs in order to find insects, loudly calledout to me. When I got up to him, I saw at the bottom of a hole acoral-serpent, measuring about a yard in length. The reptile was coiledup, and remained motionless while we admired its beautiful red skin, divided at intervals with rings of shining black. L'Encuerado promptlycut a forked stick and pinned the animal down to the ground. Theprisoner immediately tried to stand up on end; its jaws distended, andits head assumed a menacing aspect. Gringalet barked at it furiously, without, however, daring to go near. The Indian unsheathed hiscutlass--the prospect of an unlooked-for addition to dinner quitedelighted him. 

The flesh of the serpent is a well-known Indian dish. Previous to theconquest of Mexico by the Spaniards, the rattlesnake itself found itsplace at their highest festivals. Dioscorides[M] prescribed the flesh ofthe viper as a tonic, and it formed one of the component parts of_theriaca_, the great panacea of our ancestors, which was one of theprincipal branches of Venetian commerce. In spite of all theseprecedents, the dish proposed by l'Encuerado was unanimously rejected. 

Having cut off the serpent's head, we all went off to reconnoitre. Goingin pursuit of a troop of squirrels, we were led to the edge of the gladewithout having been able to reach them. A little way in the forest, Sumichrast espied a small russet-colored owl, which suddenly disappearedin a hollow at the foot of an old tree. We all kept quiet for tenminutes, in order to observe the bird's way of hunting. At last itsuddenly reappeared, and, standing motionless and upright upon its legsat the entrance of its place of refuge, it looked very like a sentinelon duty in his watch-box. Suddenly it started, and slightly bending itsbody, winked its great yellow eyes several times; then, skimming overthe ground with the swiftness of an arrow, it darted into the highgrass. It soon made its appearance again, with its feathers erect andflapping its wings. It held in its mouth a poor little mouse, which itcarried off into its subterraneous retreat. It was the species of owlcalled _Athene hypogæa_, which is often met with in the savannahs, andhunts in the day-time as well as in the night. 

"What a comical-looking bird!" said Lucien; "and yet I'm half afraid ofits brilliant eyes and hooked nose. "

"Every one is frightened at him, Chanito, " replied l'Encuerado; "andwhen he settles near a hut at night, and raises his dismal cry, hepredicts the early death of some one of those who hear him. "

"That can't be, " replied Lucien, "for there was an owl in a hole in ourgarden wall, and papa would never have it disturbed; yet the owl madeits cry every night. "

"Your father knows how to avert the spell. Besides, the bird that livedin the wall was a common owl. "

"Both in Europe and America, " interposed Sumichrast, "screech owls, andtheir kinsmen, the common owls, barn owls, buzzards, and all nocturnalbirds of prey, are looked upon by the ignorant as birds of ill omen. Their strange appearance and their mysterious habits give rise to arepugnance which often changes into fear. It is quite wrong to have anydread of them; as a matter of fact, the bird you have just seen is, likeall its species, more useful than injurious to man, for it destroys avast number of small mammals--jerboas, shrew-mice, dormice, andfield-mice, which ravage the farmer's crops. You will recollect that theowl, among the ancient Greeks, was the bird of Minerva; with the Aztecsit represents the goddess of evil. "

A little way from the spot where we lost sight of the mouse-eater, there were some enormous holes dug out by the _tuzas_, [N] the Mexicanmoles, so dreaded by agriculturists. This animal is about the size of akitten; it lives in companies, and works underneath the surface of thesoil in a way very dangerous to travellers, who suddenly find the groundsink under their feet. L'Encuerado, who was very fond of the flesh ofthe tuza, which used to be sold in the Indian markets, placed himself inambush in the hopes of killing one. Five minutes had scarcely elapsedwhen we heard a gunshot, and the hunter made his appearance with arather ugly little animal, having a dark-brown coat, short feet, earsand eyes almost imperceptible, a mouth furnished with formidableincisors, and on each side of its jaws a vast pouch filled with earth. Lucien declared that he would never consent to eat of this creature, andpromised his share to l'Encuerado. 

Our attention was again attracted towards the forest by the cries offive or six _toucans_, and again we set off in chase. These birds areextremely suspicious, and their capricious flight almost bafflespursuit. I succeeded, however, in killing one; the others flew off, raising cries of anger. 

"How can they bear the weight of such an enormous beak?" asked Lucien, who had run to pick up the bird, and was struck with admiration at itsbeautiful green and yellow plumage. 

"Nature has made provision for that: the enormous beak, which seems soheavy, is composed of a very light porous substance. "

"Then it can not eat any thing hard?"

"No; its flexible beak could not crush any unyielding substance, and itfeeds on nothing but soft fruits; and even these it breaks upawkwardly. If we could have got near them, you would have seen themplucking berries and tossing them in the air, so as to catch them intheir immense jaws. "

"What good is its great mouth?"

"I can't say; for the naturalists, who have been as much puzzled as youare by this peculiarity, have been unable to explain it. "

"Then I am more learned than they are, " said l'Encuerado, with amagisterial air. 

"Do you know, then, why toucans have such exaggerated beaks?"

"Because they have been made by a wise Creator, " replied the Indian. 

"No doubt about that, " remarked Sumichrast, smiling; "but the point is, why they were made so. "

"Because their beak, calcined and reduced to powder, is the onlyefficacious remedy for epilepsy. Toucans are very scarce birds, and iftheir beaks were no larger than those of other birds of their size, thismedicine could never be obtained in sufficient quantities. "

L'Encuerado's explanation was perhaps as good as our uncertainty. Iremember that the Indians do, in fact, make a great mystery of a powderagainst epilepsy, and that a toucan's head may often be noticed hangingup to the wall of a hut, as a preservative against St. Vitus' dance. 

Instead of resting, Lucien prowled about in every direction, breakingaway bark, and lifting stones with all the ardor of a neophyte inentomology. Since meeting with the coral-serpent, he took precautionswhich gave me confidence; for it is quite uncertain how a reptile or anyother creature may behave when it is disturbed. The child suddenlycalled out to me; he had just discovered a nest of _scolopendræ_, commonly called centipedes, and he was afraid to touch them. Thecentipedes, surprised at being disturbed, rolled themselves up; theirpale blue color somewhat diminishing the repugnance which theirappearance generally excites. It was not without some hesitation thatLucien, encouraged by Sumichrast, ventured to place one on the palm ofhis hand; the insect gradually unrolled its articulations, each of whichwas provided with two pairs of feet ending in hooks, but its walk was soslow as rather to disappoint the young observer. 

"What is the use of having forty-four feet, " he cried, "if the centipedecan not get on faster than a _carabus_, which only has six?"

L'Encuerado could alone explain this mystery; but still he kept silence. 

"Are these creatures poisonous, M. Sumichrast?"

"It is said so; but some species--that, for instance, which you areexamining--may be handled without danger. "

"Here is a little centipede with only twelve legs. "

"It has only just come out of the egg; their rings increase in number asthey grow older, and this is one of their peculiarities. "

"How hard the rings, are! they are almost like armor. "

"It is armor, in fact; the _scolopendræ_ form a line of demarkation, soto speak, separating insects from crustaceans; centipedes are not verydistant relations of lobsters. "

"Look, papa! I have just found a chocolate-colored worm, which lookslike a centipede. "

"That's not a worm; it is an _iulus_, first cousin to the centipede. Don't take it up in your hand, for it will impregnate your fingers witha sickening odor. "

We resumed our progress towards our encampment, Lucien and l'Encueradopreceding us. The weather was warm without being suffocating; theslanting rays of the sun were moderated by the foliage, the birds weresinging, and to-day, like yesterday, seemed as if it would be one ofthe least fatiguing in our journey. We were now in the midst of the_Terre-Tempérée_, and were surrounded by white and black oaks. Ceibas, elm, cedars, and _lignum-vitæ_ trees only grew here and there; and themosquitoes, so plentiful in the _Terre-Chaude_, did not trouble us here. The timber, growing widely apart, allowed us to pass easily; we were ina virgin-forest, but were still too high up above the plains to have tostruggle against the inextricable net-work of tropical creepers. 

The _tuza_ made its appearance at our dinner, dressed with rice. Although the appearance of this animal is repulsive, its flesh has anexquisite flavor. I offered a piece of the thigh to Lucien; he found itso nice, that he soon held out his plate--or rather his calabash--formore. Sumichrast told him he was eating some of the mole, though notaware of it: he appeared confused at first, but soon boldly began on hissecond helping. After the meal, l'Encuerado took from an aloe-fibre baga needle and bodkin, and set to work to mend Lucien's breeches, torn aday or two before. Two squirrels' skins were scarcely sufficient for thewould-be tailor, who lined the knees also with this improvised cloth. Lucien was delighted at this patching, and wanted to try on his mendedgarment at once. He waddled about, ran, and stooped in every posture, quite fascinated with the rustling noise produced by the dry skins. Gringalet, who had been asleep, suddenly came up to his young masterwith visible surprise. With his neck stretched out, his eyes glittering, and his ears drooping, ready to retreat in case of need, the dogventured to take a sniff at l'Encuerado's work, then shook his headenergetically and sneezed. After repeating this operation two or threetimes he seemed to be lost in thought. 

"He knows all about it, and can see at once that it is not badly sewn, "said l'Encuerado, with evident satisfaction. 

But all of a sudden, after a final and more conscientious examination, the animal began barking furiously, and seizing hold of the patches thathad been so industriously sewn in, he tried to tear them away. 

"The simpleton fancies the squirrel is still alive!" cried the Indian. 

Although driven away at least twenty times, Gringalet kept on returningto the attack, and he assailed the trowsers with so much ardor that afresh rent was made. Then l'Encuerado became angry, and the dog havingbeen punished, went and crouched down by the fire; but he stillcontinued to show his teeth at the strange lining which seemed sooffensive to him. 

The sun was setting; its golden rays, quivering among the branches, appeared one by one to get higher and higher until gloom began graduallyto pervade the forest. We were assembled around our bivouac, when a rosytint suddenly illumined the tops of the trees and penetrated through thefoliage. As this marvellous effect of light appeared to last aconsiderable time, we again went into the open glade, so as to be betterable to observe it. The sky appeared as if it was all in a blaze; vastglittering jets of light seemed as if darting from the setting sun; afew clouds, tinted with bright red color, flitted across the heavens. The bright gleam became more and more vivid, but without at all dazzlingour eyes. A few birds might be heard uttering shrill cries; and thefalcons, who were making their way to their aeries, stopped for a momenttheir rapid flight, and whirled round and round in space with anundecided air. 

"The wind will blow tremendously to-morrow, " said l'Encuerado; "onlyonce before did I ever see the sky lighted up as it is to-night, andthen two days after there was a frightful hurricane, which demolishedmost of the huts in our village. "

"I think we shall get off with nothing but a south wind like that whichworried us the day we set off, " said Sumichrast. 

Wrongly or rightly, I attributed this phenomenon of light to theposition of the clouds. The intensity of the light decreased till it wasnothing but a glimmer. Night resumed its empire, and there was naught toguide us back to our bivouac but the flame of our fire. 

[Illustration]

FOOTNOTES:

[L] From the Greek [Greek: kathartês], "that which purifies. " In fact, this bird assists in cleansing the streets in towns where there is noorganization for the purpose. 

[M] A celebrated Greek physician in the first century of the Christianera. 

[N] _Saccophorus Mexicanus. _

[Illustration]

CHAPTER IX. 

THE SOUTH WIND. --THE HURRICANE. --A FEARFUL NIGHT. --THE UPROOTEDGIANT. --THE SARSAPARILLA-PLANT. --GRINGALET DISCOVERS A SPRING. --OURBIVOUAC. 

L'Encuerado's prediction seemed as if it was likely to be realized. About three o'clock in the morning we were awakened by a hoarse roaring;the trees seemed to shiver; sometimes the uproar appeared to grow lessand almost to cease, and then broke out again louder than ever. Ihastened to warm some coffee; but two or three times the intermittentsqualls scattered the burning fagots of our fire, and the hot ashesnearly blinded us. This mishap was owing to the open glade being so nearto us, across which the wind rushed furious and unrestrained. Almostbefore daylight appeared, I led my companions farther under the trees, the state of the atmosphere making me feel very uncomfortable. The loftytree-tops, roughly shaken by the wind, showered down upon us a perfecthail of twigs and dead leaves. We were almost deafened by the noise ofthe clashing boughs; sad and silent we proceeded on our way, perceivingno signs of any living creature, and in much trouble how we shouldobtain our dinners. 

Towards mid-day, the wind fell; puffs of heat, which seemed to springfrom the ground beneath, almost suffocated us. Lucien did not say aword, but, in spite of my advice, he was constantly lifting his gourd tohis lips, a proceeding which could only excite his thirst. Gringalet, instead of frolicking about, as was his custom, followed us closely, drooping his ears and tail. We were, I believe, the only living beingsmoving under the shade, which now seemed converted into a hot furnace. 

Meeting with some rocks, we made up our minds to hurry on, thinking tocome upon a stream; a vain hope!--the rocks soon came to an end, andwere succeeded by a perfect labyrinth of trees. If there had only been alittle grass, we should have set to work to construct our hut; for thedry heat, blown up by the south wind, rendered exertion almostunbearable. 

A second time we found ourselves among rocks; but they were so enormous, and so close together, that it was evident we were in the vicinity of amountain. 

"Hiou! hiou! Chanito, " cried the Indian, joyously; "forward! forward! weare very nearly at the end of our troubles. "

The boy smiled and adopted the swift pace of his guide, while Sumichrastlengthened his strides so as to get in front of me. Following mycompanions, we soon came upon a dry, barren spot in front of a steepascent. After we had all taken breath, I gave it as my opinion that weshould overcome our fatigue and scale the side of the mountain; but noone showed any inclination to move. 

My poor Lucien lay panting on the hard stones, with his mouth dry, hislips bleeding, and his face purple with the heat; he had thought theday's work was over. Nevertheless, as soon as he saw us starting again, up he got and followed us without a word of complaint. I wished tolighten his burden; but he heroically refused, and proportioned his paceto that of l'Encuerado. Gringalet was continually sitting down, andhanging out his tongue to a most enormous length; it was, doubtless, hisway of testifying that he moved an amendment against the length of thejourney. 

"We were quite wrong in finding fault with the shade, " said Sumichrast;"for in this unsheltered spot the heat is more insupportable than underthe trees. The sun seems to dart into us as if its rays were needles'points. "

"Don't drink, Chanito! don't drink!" cried l'Encuerado to Lucien. 

The poor little fellow replaced the gourd at his side, and bent on mesuch a heart-rending look that I caught him up in my arms. 

"Let us make a halt, " said my friend, who was sheltering himself under agigantic rock; "I confess that I am dead-beat. "

It was a great relief when we were seated down and deprived of ourburdens; but, instead of setting to work, according to our usual custom, to collect wood for our fire and to construct our hut, we remained idle, looking at the horizon, without exchanging a single word. At our feetextended, as far as we could see, the tree-tops of an immense forest. Wehad turned our backs upon the volcano of Orizava; on our right the blacksummits of the Cordillera stood out against the red sky; the _urubu_vultures were whirling round and round high up above us--the onlyliving creatures we had set eyes on since the evening before. 

It was now four o'clock; a kind of hot blast beat into our faces, producing the same sensation as that experienced in front of a furnacewhen the door is suddenly opened. The south wind sprung up again, andsquall succeeded squall--the forest undulating like a liquid surface. 

I in vain endeavored to overcome the state of nervous prostration whichhad come over me; the terrible wind which parched and burned us tookaway all power of will. Our eyes were inflamed, our lips cracked, andour heads heavy, and no one cared about eating; all we longed for waswater, and we were obliged to watch Lucien, to prevent him emptying hisgourd. He was nibbling a morsel of _totopo_, which he, like us, couldhardly swallow. Sheltered behind the rock, we contemplated with dreadthe colossal trees round us, which swayed and bent, sprinkling theground with their scattered boughs. 

The sun set, pale and rayless, as if drowned in the ill-omened yellowclouds. The wind kept puffing and blowing at intervals. A few minutes'lull enabled us to collect a little grass, and then, seated side byside, we watched the approach of night, dark, desolate, and starless;but the comparative coolness of the atmosphere gave some little reliefto our exhausted lungs. Lucien went off to sleep; Sumichrast andl'Encuerado tried to follow his example; Gringalet seemed afraid to gofar away, and crouched down at our feet. Ere long, I was the only one ofthe party who was awake. 

What an awful night! About nine o'clock the squalls ran riot withunexampled violence; if it had not been for our shelter behind the rock, we should surely have been swept away. From the forest beneath came aroar like that of waves beating against a cliff; branches broke offwith an uproar sounding like a series of gun-shots, and the leaves, driven by the wind, covered us with their _débris_. Every now and thenan inexplicable and increasing hoarse rumbling filled my mind withanxiety. I listened, holding my breath with fear; the rumbling seemed toapproach, as if bringing with it new and unknown perils. Then suddenly, prevailing over the tumult, a formidable crash made itself heard, followed by a shock prolonged by the echoes; it was the fall of someforest giant, vanquished by the hurricane. Sometimes one might havefancied that a multitude of men were fighting together in the darknessthat no eye could pierce; there were plainly to be recognized the wildcries of the conflict and the plaintive moans of the wounded; and then, again, a fresh shock shook the earth, and deadened the outburst of themighty lament. 

I must confess that at this moment I bitterly regretted having broughtLucien; I remembered that my friends had predicted to me all the perilswhich now threatened us. While listening to the uproar of the tempest, Ifelt my resolution give way, and I had serious thoughts of returning toOrizava the next day. 

Towards midnight the storm abated a little, and, giving way to fatigue, I fell asleep. 

I had only just closed my eyes when I suddenly jumped up again, deafenedas if by a hundred claps of thunder joined in one. The darkness was asthick as ever, and the wind was still more boisterous; the echo of thefallen tree had scarcely died away before another colossus groaned andfell. My companions were now all awake. 

"What's the matter, M. Sumichrast?" asked Lucien, in a low tone. 

"It is a hurricane, my boy. "

"One might fancy that a giant was passing through the wood, shoutingand whistling, and breaking down all the trees as he went along. "

"I wish that was all, " replied Sumichrast; "but it's something muchworse; it is the south wind, the sirocco of the Mexican coast. "

"Will it sweep us away, M. Sumichrast?"

"I hope not; thanks to the rock which shields us. "

A tree now fell close to us, and covered us with dust. Clinging tightlyto one another, every moment brought with it a fresh anxiety. We darednot speak of our feelings, for fear of frightening our young companion, who pressed close up to me. Amidst the universal destruction going on, it only needed a branch driven by the squall to dislodge our shelter, for us to be swept away like chaff before the wind. I had witnessed manya hurricane, but this fearful night exceeded all. 

At last daylight appeared; the sun rose gloomily, and exposed thedisasters of the terrible night. On every side trees, broken anduprooted, lay prostrate on the ground, or, half suspended by thecreepers entangled in their branches, were balanced like the formidable_battering-rams_ of the ancients. Lucien was speechless at the sightbefore his eyes. A sudden cracking noise was heard, and another forestgiant slowly bent over, and, describing a rapid curve, crushed itsbranches against the ground; ten seconds destroyed the work ofcenturies. 

L'Encuerado attempted to go two or three yards beyond our rock; but, surprised by a sudden gust, he had but just time to throw himselfprostrate on the ground to prevent being swept away. Something, however, had to be done; it was no use trying to light a fire, and yet, afteryesterday's fast and a sleepless night, we felt great need of somecomforting beverage. The squalls gradually abated, but were still everynow and then violent. Intervals of profound silence succeeded to theuproar of the storm, when the leaves were motionless; then we might havefancied the tempest was over. But suddenly the frightful roar againcommenced, and the gale covered the ground with fresh fragments. 

We were beginning to take courage a little, when a formidable crashresounded above us; an enormous pine, growing on the mountain a hundredfeet over our heads, tottered and then fell, tumbling down the slopewith a horrible uproar. Quick as lightning, l'Encuerado seized Lucien, and lay down with him along the foot of the rock; I and my friendimmediately followed his example. The fallen giant came crashing down inrapid bounds, smashing every thing in its path, and accompanied in itsdescent by masses of broken rock. It struck against the block thatsheltered us, which gave forth a dull sound, but fortunately resistedthe shock; and then the tree, clearing the obstacle with a prodigiousbound, continued its impetuous course down to the foot of the mountain. We were nearly crushed by a perfect avalanche of stones which followedin its wake. 

I raised myself, not without emotion. The danger had been serious;indeed, the enormous rock to which we owed our safety had slightlyswerved. If this accident had occurred in the middle of the night, thefright would have driven us out of our place of shelter, and we shouldcertainly have been destroyed. I first returned thanks to God, and thento l'Encuerado, who, being close to Lucien, had shielded the boy withhis own body. The child, who fully comprehended the danger, hung roundthe Indian's neck. 

"I shall tell mamma that you saved my life!" cried he, kissingl'Encuerado. 

The latter would have replied, but, affected by the caresses of hisyoung favorite, he could only press him in his arms, while two tearstrickled down his dark cheeks. 

"His lordship, the wind, is very good to take so much trouble to show ushis power, " exclaimed the Indian, addressing the wind, in order to hidehis emotion; "a grand miracle, indeed! to uproot a pine that was goingto die of old age, and to roll it down a mountain-side! Why, I could dothe same if I chose, with the help of my _machete_. Oh yes! blow away!and knock down another tree on us, and then you'll thoroughly convinceus that the devil is your patron!"

In spite of the serious nature of the occurrence, Gringalet was the onlyone among us who could hear this speech without a smile; and even thedog rubbed up against the orator's legs, as if to show his approval ofall he had said. 

The hurricane now subsided; but it was likely enough to redouble itsintensity at night, and reason dictated that we should take advantage ofthe calm for moving onward. L'Encuerado resumed his load, and with awatchful eye led the way up the mountain. I took Lucien by the hand; forthere was a danger that some tree which had been shaken by the stormmight suddenly fall across our path. 

The heat, which continued to inconvenience us, rendered walking a verylaborious effort. The lips of our young companion were all cracked, andhe spoke with difficulty. We suffered dreadfully from thirst; but it wasnecessary to bear it patiently, and to be very saving with the smallstock of water which still remained in our gourds. Soon we came upon thespot where, an hour before, the tree had stood, the fall of which had sonearly crushed us. A widely gaping hole exposed to our view the brokenroots of the colossus, and the earth round them was already dry. Wepushed on with much difficulty, exhausted, out of breath, and halffamished; for, since the night before, we had eaten nothing but somemorsels of maize-cake. Moreover, our eyes were so red and swollen thatwe were perfectly disfigured. 

"Oh, father, I am so tired!" said Lucien to me. 

"So we all are, my poor boy; but we must pluck up our spirits again, andkeep on walking, for our lives depend on it. "

"Father, I am so thirsty! and the water left in my gourd is quite warm. "

"It will be better for you not to drink; for a few draughts of watertaken when walking increase perspiration, and make the thirst worse, instead of quenching it. "

The poor little fellow heaved a sigh, and crept closer to my friend, whoadvised him to place in his mouth a small pebble, which alleviatesthirst by exciting salivation. 

In spite of all our exertions, we made little or no advance, and aprofuse perspiration added to our exhaustion. Fortunately, every thingseemed to indicate that the tempest was over. L'Encuerado led the way;his manner appeared as if searching for something. At length I saw himthrow down his load and plunge into the thicket. Soon he reappeared, with his hands full of a kind of mulberry, the fruit of thesarsaparilla, the acid flavor of which much revived Lucien. We nowunderstood l'Encuerado's peculiar way of walking. He fancied he hadnoticed a young shoot of this plant, and at first concealed thediscovery from us, fearing some deception. I can hardly describe thepleasure that was afforded us by obtaining these berries in such awelcome time. This shrub, with its vine-like and thorny stalk, aboundedon the steep slope. 

We resumed our march in much better spirits, thanks to this God-send. L'Encuerado filled his cap with them, and walked on bravely, with hishead bare. Another half-hour's climbing brought us to the verge of theforest. Suddenly I lost sight of Gringalet. I called him several times, and at last he emerged from a clump of shrubs, with his tail and muzzlewet. Sumichrast rushed in search of the water, and soon cried out to usin a joyous voice--

"A spring! a spring!"

We all tried who could get to it first. Under the foliage ofsarsaparilla our companion was kneeling down and catching in his hands alittle streamlet of limpid water, which was trickling from between tworocks. With keen enjoyment, he was sprinkling it over his face and arms, an example each of us soon imitated. At last I hurried our party away, for the horrible roaring of the hurricane still seemed to din in myears, and as yet we had no shelter within our reach. After having filledour gourds, we recommenced our climbing, enlivened by l'Encuerado, whokept on congratulating Gringalet upon his discovery, and promising him, as his reward, a whole series of good dinners. 

[Illustration]

The hour was now approaching at which we feared that the hurricanewould recommence with redoubled violence; so it became highly necessaryto select a spot for our bivouac. Moss and lichens here covered therocks with a variegated carpet, and, in proportion as we ascended themountain, the cooler air relieved our lungs. At length our ascent cameto an end, and we found ourselves on a plateau dotted over with stuntedshrubs, distorted and twisted with the winds and storms. Fresh summitsrose in front of us, but they were too far off to cause us any fear. Sumichrast halted near three gigantic stones, placed so as to leave aspace between them, in which we could encamp, as if in a fortress. 

[Illustration: "Sumichrast halted near three gigantic stones. "]

This spot we selected for our bivouac. The wind still blew in squalls, but the increased clearing of the atmosphere gave us reason to hope thatwe should have nothing more to fear from the hurricane. We all went insearch of firewood, and ere long after were enlivened by the gleam of animmense fire. 

At sunset, the glittering beams of the sun's very last rays reached ourcamp. The sky was blue, and the air was fresh, so I abandoned the ideaof returning home. Night came on, a fine rain purified the air, and thedamp earth breathed forth a wholesome fragrance. Overcome by fatigue, wewrapped ourselves up in our _sarapés_, and soon fell into a sound sleep. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER X. 

THE RABBIT. --WILD POTATOES. --A DIFFICULT PATH. --AN EXTINCTCRATER. --HOAR-FROST. --THE TORRENT. --THE FAWN. --THE TETTIGONES. --THEDRAGON-FLIES. 

The next day, when I opened my eyes, the sun was shining brightly in ablue sky. I made up the fire, and walked off, with my gun on myshoulder, to try and obtain some kind of game, so as to surprise mycompanions when they got up. For about a quarter of an hour I traversedtracts of heath which reminded me of my native country, when a tooconfiding rabbit came frisking along within gunshot, which I knockedover and placed in my game-bag. 

On my return all were up, standing round the fire, and they hailed meas a conqueror. The terrible trials of the day before seemed to beentirely forgotten; even Lucien had recovered all his liveliness. L'Encuerado took the rabbit, and in an incredible short space of timehad it skinned, and placed to broil on the burning coals. 

"Well! what do you think of hurricanes?" asked Sumichrast of Lucien, whowas watching him cleaning his gun. 

"They are most awful! I should never have thought that the wind, whichis invisible, could have blown down and broken up trees as big as thatone which almost fell upon us. "

"Were you much frightened?"

"Rather; and so were you, for you were quite pale. "

"The danger was much greater than you imagined. If the uprooted tree hadpitched on our rock, it would have upset it, and crushed us beneath. "

"Then the wind must be much stronger in forests than in towns?"

"No; for the hurricane of yesterday probably destroyed entire villages. It was one of those tropical storms which happily only break out at longintervals. Many an Indian is at this moment rebuilding his destroyedhut. "

Lucien looked very thoughtful, and went and sat down at the foot of atree. When I passed near him, I saw he had tears in his eyes. 

"What's the matter?" I asked. 

"I was thinking of mamma and my brothers. M. Sumichrast told me that thetempest must have demolished whole villages; so perhaps our home has metwith some misfortune. "

"Don't be frightened, my dear boy! Thank God! stone walls can generallystand against wind. Besides, this hurricane can hardly have been felt atOrizava. At all events, your mamma has more reason to be anxious about_us_, for she knows that we are far from shelter--exposed to all itsviolence. "

I kissed poor Lucien, and comforted him as well as I could, assisted byl'Encuerado, who soon afterwards took him off to look after our roastrabbit. 

The _tochtli_, or Mexican rabbit, is different from the Europeanspecies, although it has the same colored coat and instincts. In fact itis a hare. 

"Do you know the family of the animal we are going to have forbreakfast?" asked Sumichrast. 

"Yes; it is a Rodent. "

"Well done; but how did you recognize it to be so?"

"By the absence of canine teeth in its jaws, its large incisors, and itshind legs being longer than its fore legs. "

"Come, your memory is good. You should also know that, in Europe, therabbit, which is nearly allied to the hare, is thought to be a native ofAfrica. Formerly, the Aztecs used to sacrifice hundreds of these animalsto the goddess Centeutl, who is the Ceres of Mexican mythology; and thenobles used to wear cloaks made of the hair of the hare, mixed withcotton. With regard to the larger hare, known farther north as theJackass rabbit, the Indians generally refuse to eat its flesh, under thepretense that it feeds on dead bodies, a mistake which as yet they havenot been persuaded to abandon. "

We did justice to our game like guests who have to make up for a forcedfast. The meal finished, without further delay our little coterie movedon again. Instead of the abundant and bushy thickets of sarsaparilla, wemet with nothing but stunted shrubs. However, as we approached themountain the vegetation assumed a richer aspect, and the bare rocks nolonger protruded through the soil. Here and there, tanagers, with blackbacks, yellow breasts, and violet-blue throats, fluttered around us;also other variegated birds of the Passerine family. We were justabout to begin climbing the slope, when l'Encuerado, whose piercing eyesseemed to see every thing, exclaimed:

[Illustration: "A labyrinth of rocks brought us out in front of a stonyrampart, more than a hundred feet in height. "]

"There are some potatoes!"

Lucien ran towards the Indian, who, with his _machete_, had alreadycleared away the earth round a small plant with oval-shaped leaves, covered with soft greenish berries. Some wrinkled tubercles were erelong discovered, which we could easily crush between our fingers. Thisis the origin of the valuable plant for which Europe is indebted toAmerica. 

After climbing some time, we came upon a mass of rocks all heaped up ina perfect chaos. Some obstacle or other incessantly obliged us either tojump over or make a circuit so as to get forward. The temperature, however, was refreshing, and rendered our exertions less fatiguing. 

The chances of our journey brought us out once more upon the plateau. All the mountain crests we could see were barren, and a profound silencereigned on every side. We stopped to take breath, and the sight that metour eyes impressed us with its stern grandeur. It reminded Sumichrast ofthe Swiss mountains which he had so often traversed; and some flowers hegathered further recalled his home. While thus occupied, two butterfliesfluttered over our heads. 

"It is an Alpine species!" eagerly cried my friend. 

The locality prevented him from following these capricious insects forany distance: for one moment he leaned over the abyss, bristling up withrocks, and followed, with a longing eye, the two winged flowers whichhad recalled to him a fleeting image of his fatherland. 

A labyrinth of rocks brought us out in front of a stony rampart morethan a hundred feet in height, and almost perpendicular. This unexpectedobstacle brought us to a halt. How should we make our way over it? Uponexamining the spot, we decided to incline towards the left, which seemedto us the most accessible road. In parts the wall diminished in height, but we tried in vain to climb it. A more successful attempt, however, brought us nearly to the top, but not without great fatigue, forsometimes the rock appeared to hang over us. At length, by climbing onto Sumichrast's shoulders, I managed to reach the flat surface above. Ihoisted up Lucien here with the lasso; next I drew up Gringalet, who wasonly too pleased to submit to the operation, and lastly Sumichrast andl'Encuerado. The terrible obstacle was at last overcome; beyond it theground was, comparatively speaking, level, but covered with stones of avolcanic nature. 

We still kept on our way, although it was four o'clock, in the hope offinding some tree at the foot of which we could make our bivouac. L'Encuerado put down his load to climb up a needle-shaped rock, theextraordinary position of which reminded us of the celebrated leaningtower of Pisa. When he had reached its top, the Indian called out to usthat he could see a clump of trees. The cold began to inconvenience usand we wanted wood to make our fire, so, plucking up fresh courage, wecontinued our journey. The distance now traversed was inconsiderable;but the ups and downs and circuits had quite wearied us. Gradually therocks decreased in size, and were more widely spread; a plain slightlydepressed in the centre, dotted here and there with thinly growingthickets, was reached. In the background there was a clump of firs and aglittering lake, quite a liquid oasis hidden in a desert. 

[Illustration: "Sunset surprised us ere we had finished our labor. "]

It now became highly necessary for us to seek shelter, for our teethwere chattering with the cold. L'Encuerado, having climbed a tree, cutdown the wood that was necessary for the construction of a hut; whileLucien broke all the dry branches off, a task in which I helped him. Sunset surprised us ere we had finished our labor. The waters of thelake assumed a dark hue, and the mountain peaks towards the setting sunfurrowed the sky with their strangely irregular outlines, and the breezeresounding through the pine-trees produced a solemn and grave chant, apeculiarity which has doubtless given to this species of tree the nameof _Pinus religiosus_. As the rays of the sun died away and the darkshadows covered the sky, the silence became still more profound. Suddenly the last rays of the luminary vanished; the gathering darknessimbued us with an emotion which those only can understand who, like us, had found themselves face to face with some of the grandest emanationsfrom the Creator's hands. 

Lucien, too, was subject to the influence of the twofold majesty ofdarkness and solitude; he was speechless, and looked by turns both atthe earth and the sky. The stars appeared glittering in the blue heaven, and were reflected on the motionless surface of the neighboring water. Suddenly a luminous ray seemed to dance over the lake, and then todivide into a shower of sparks. It was the reflection of our fire, towhich l'Encuerado had just set a light. 

The piercing cold was excessively trying: our _sarapés_ did not seemsufficient to protect us from its influence. Fortunately we had obtainedfuel enough to keep up the bivouac fire all night. Our meal, althoughwithout meat, was a cheerful one. Each in turn retired to his pine-leafcouch; and soon I alone remained up, not feeling an inclination forslumber. 

What a contrast it was! The night before, at this time, we were deafenedby the uproarious wind, and the forests echoed with its fearful effects;while we, perfectly helpless, sheltered behind a trembling stone, couldscarcely breathe the burning air. Twenty-four hours had hardly elapsed, and a few miles had brought us on to a granite soil where we felt evenunpleasantly cold; it was no longer the uproar, but the silence, whichawoke in my mind the reveries of loneliness. 

We rose before dawn, perfectly benumbed and hardly able to move ourlips. L'Encuerado stirred up the fire so as to get the coffee ready. Thefirst ray of light showed the ground covered with a white shroud ofbright hoar-frost. Lucien had never seen this phenomenon before, and wasnever tired of admiring it. Sumichrast explained to him that the dropsof dew, which every morning may be seen glittering on the grass in hotcountries, freeze in situations of great altitude, and produce thosebeautiful transparent globules which, owing to the refraction of light, assume so beauteous an appearance. 

The rays of the sun warmed us but little, so I hastened our preparationsfor departure. After skirting the edge of the lake, we once more foundourselves among rocks. The summit which we had traversed was doubtlessthe crater of some extinct volcano. I took a farewell look at thegigantic semicircle, edged with mountain crests, ere commencing ajourney quite as difficult as that of the day before, through theimmense stones which had been vomited forth by the burning mountain. More than once we got into a _cul-de-sac_, and we sat down utterlydiscouraged. 

For the last time I examined the horizon. We were now standing on thehighest summit of the Cordillera; opposite us, as far as we could see, rose verdure-clad peaks, which gradually diminished in height. We wereagain about to meet with tropical vegetation, and should ere long reachthe plains and forests of the _Terre-Chaude_. The way seemed direct andeasy; but how many obstacles must be overcome, how many valleys must becrossed, ere we could reach our destination!

We descended the slope by a giant staircase, each step of which musthave been at least seven or eight feet in height. More than once thelasso was called into use; but all obstacles were at last safelyovercome. I can not describe the joy I felt upon once more seeingpine-trees. We sought in vain for any traces of the hurricane; this sideof the mountain had evidently not been visited by it. 

The slope was now more gradual; our pace became faster, and a few oakswere in sight. A rumbling noise made us stop and listen attentively, butl'Encuerado, who was more expert than we were in making out distantsounds, told us that it was a torrent. Squirrels gambolled on thebranches as we passed by, and toucans seemed to tempt us to stop; but wewere all anxious to reach the waterfall. Ere long, oaks and birches, andafterwards guava-trees, surrounded us on every side. The ground was nowlevel, and in less than half an hour l'Encuerado conducted us to theedge of an immense ravine, at the bottom of which there was a roaringtorrent. 

It was not long before the steep bank became less abrupt, and weestablished our bivouac. While we were cutting down some branches, Sumichrast put his finger to his lips and seized his gun. A slight noisewas heard in the thickets, and our companion disappeared. We werelistening, holding our breath, when we heard the screech as of an owl;we knew it was a call, so l'Encuerado also glided away through thebushes. 

"Why did M. Sumichrast call l'Encuerado?" asked Lucien, in a low voice. 

"Probably because he has discovered the trail of some animal. "

I had scarcely finished speaking, when a movement in the leavesattracted my attention. A fine fox, with an eager look, and its taillowered, rushed past me. I fired, but without effect, for it bolted offamong the trees, followed by Gringalet. Almost at the same moment, areport told me that l'Encuerado had also seen game. 

Lucien was very sorry that I had missed the fox; I only regretted havinglost a charge of powder, and also having awkwardly put to flight thequarry which was probably being pursued by my companions. I thencontinued my work of cutting off the branches, and told Lucien to strikethe flint and light the fire. Thanks to l'Encuerado's lessons, hemanaged his work much better than I had expected. 

We heard Sumichrast give a call, to which Lucien answered, and thedisappointed hunter joined us. 

"What did you fire at?" he inquired of me. 

"At a fox, which I missed; were you chasing it?"

"No; I caught sight of a doe and its fawn, but I could not get nearthem. "

"And where is l'Encuerado?"

"He wanted to shoot some bird, so as not to come back quiteempty-handed. "

"Chanito! Hiou! Hiou! Chanito!" we heard shouted in the distance. 

"Hallo! hallo!" answered the boy. 

And, soon after, l'Encuerado returned, carrying a fawn on his shoulders. 

"Oh! what a pretty little creature!" cried Lucien; "why didn't you takeit alive?"

"Bullets are the only things that can run as fast as these animals, Chanito. "

"What became of the mother?" asked Sumichrast. 

"I was not able to get near her; but at all events, we have more thanenough meat now, both for to-day and to-morrow. "

Lucien took possession of the fawn. He had always longed to possess oneof these animals alive. He duly examined the slender legs and taperingmuzzle of the poor creature, whose fawn-colored back, dotted over withsymmetrically arranged spots, would change in color as it got older. 

"Well, Master 'Sunbeam, ' in what class will you place this mammal?"asked Sumichrast, addressing Lucien. 

"It is not like any of those I know. "

"Well, then, you never can have seen goats, cows, or sheep. It is aruminant, or an animal which has three or four stomachs. Its lower jawis provided with eight incisors, while the upper jaw has nothing but acushion or gum. "

"That's right enough, " said Lucien, opening the fawn's mouth. 

"In all ruminants, the food, when swallowed, passes into the firststomach; it is then brought up to be chewed again; this is called'chewing the cud. ' You must often have seen a cow or a sheep sittingquiet in the sun and constantly chewing. "

"Yes, " replied Lucien, "and l'Encuerado always told me that they hadeaten some bitter herb. "

"His explanation is about as correct as that given by the Mexicans, whosay that an animal which chews the cud is reading the newspaper. Anothercharacteristic of these animals is, that their feet are cloven. "

"And they have horns!" cried Lucien. 

"Not all of them; for instance, the camel, llama, and musk-deer, areexceptions. "

It remained for us to decide how our fawn should be cooked. After adiscussion on the subject, we left the point entirely to l'Encuerado, and I made my way down to the bottom of the ravine. Upon lifting up somestones and pieces of bark, I discovered several species of the_Carabus_ family. Lucien caught on a shrub some insects of a verypeculiar shape; at the first glance, Sumichrast recognized them as_tettigones_. 

"These insects belong to the _Hemeptera_ family, " said he, "thereforethey are allied to the bug and the grasshopper; these insects haveneither mandibles[O] nor jaws; their mouth is a sort of beak, formed ofa jointed tube extending along the breast, which you can see veryplainly. This order is a very numerous one, and the two species you havejust found are peculiar to Mexico. "

"Here is one like a fowl, and another like a canoe. "

"You are quite right, and you will meet with others which are still moresingular looking. "

The appearance of these little creatures pleased Lucien very much, and, as he was letting them run about on his hand, he saw them jump off anddisappear. He was just going to return to the shrub on which he hadcaught them, when his attention was attracted by an immense dragon-fly, commonly called in Mexico _the devil's horse_, and in France_demoiselle_. The beautiful insect, after flying round and round, settled on a plant, and was immediately caught in the young hunter'snet. The prisoner had greenish eyes, a yellow body, and its wings weredotted over with black and scarlet. It doubled back its tapering body, as if to try and sting the hand which held it, and shook its gauzy wingswith a kind of metallic sound. A half-eaten mosquito hung out of itsmouth, and, although the dragon-fly was sadly bruised, it continued itsmeal, much to the amusement of Lucien, who hardly expected to find suchtiger-like habits in an insect so elegant in form and so harmless inappearance. 

"It is of the order _Neuroptera_, " I said to him; "thus called becauseof the veins on its four wings. This insect first lives in the water inthe form of a larva, in which state it remains a year--it is very muchlike the insect you are holding, only, all that can be seen of its wingsare small swellings, which grow longer each time the animal changes itsskin. This swelling is a sort of sheath to the beautiful gauzy wingswhich distinguish all the Neuroptera, and the dragon-fly in particular. "

"What! does the dragon-fly begin its life by living in water like afish?"

"Yes, and they are quite as voracious in that state as when they areperfect insects. The larva changes to a grub, and greedily devourswater-lizards and young fish; after a certain time, which variesaccording to the species, it rises to the top of the water by crawlingup a reed, and remains perfectly motionless, exposed to the rays of thesun; suddenly, the skin covering the head bursts open, and thedragon-fly, spotted with black, blue, and green, takes flight, and losesno time in darting upon the first insect which comes within its reach. "

My lecture was interrupted by the cry of "Hallo! hallo!" froml'Encuerado. It was his substitute for a dinner-bell. 

[Illustration]

FOOTNOTE:

[O] A very hard substance placed immediately under the upper lip, whichinsects use for cutting and tearing their food. 

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XI. 

A BLUE LIZARD. --THE GUAVA-TREE. --A CATARACT. --NEST OF YELLOWSERPENTS. --A VEGETABLE HELMET. --THE KINGFISHER. --HUNTINGWATER-FLEAS. --THE TADPOLE. --A COLLECTION OF WATER-BUGS. 

The rice-soup, our every-day fare, was, on this occasion, followed byfawn cutlets broiled on the embers, accompanied by potatoes. Thisprecious tubercle, in its savage state, only reminded us very slightlyof its cultivated progeny. The pulp, instead of being floury, is soft, transparent, and almost tasteless. That, however, did not prevent usfrom eating them, and doing justice to our venison. 

While we were smoking a cigar, which was called by Sumichrast, according to circumstances, the calumet of repose, of council, or ofdigestion, Lucien returned to the shrub on which he had previously foundthe insects. He collected a great number of these, and also discovered athird species, which was shaped like a triangle, with two horns at itsbase. He ran to show us these miniature bulls. Afterwards, armed with along branch by way of a lever, he tried to raise up a decayed rootcovered with moss. He succeeded to do it, after some trouble, and saw, cowering down among the roots, a beautiful lizard; it had a greenishback, and its mouth and the sides of its body were bright blue; it was avariety which we had never before observed. The little animal, doubtlessdazzled by the light, allowed itself to be caught, and then suddenlybending down its head, bit the boy's finger, who at once dropped it. L'Encuerado soon caught the runaway. 

"Didn't you know that lizards were harmless?" asked Sumichrast ofLucien. 

"That is why they bite, I suppose, " replied the boy, shaking his head. 

"Yes, " said the naturalist, "but you needn't be afraid; its bite is notvenomous. 

 "'This brute is surely not disposed to strife, But you attack it, it'll defend its life. '"

Night came on. A multitude of insects whirled round and round our fire, burning their wings as if they enjoyed it. Lucien wanted to know whatattracted so many of these poor creatures to the flame. As he inquired, two or three great beetles suddenly appeared with loud buzzing, and atonce precipitated themselves into the burning coals. 

"See what comes of giddiness, " said Sumichrast. "If since we set out wehad walked blindly on without looking where we went, long ere this weshould have found ourselves at the bottom of some ravine. "

"But these butterflies and beetles throw themselves into the fire onpurpose, " said l'Encuerado, with the inflexible logic of facts. 

"They are not aware that the flame will burn, " I replied. 

"That's true, " murmured the Indian, in a tone of compassion. 

Fatigue compelled us to give up our relaxation, and we soon went tosleep in a warm atmosphere, which seemed all the more pleasant when weremembered our sufferings of the night before. 

Our slumbers were interrupted toward morning by the frequent cries of aflight of passerines, called "alarum-birds" (_despertadores_) by theMexicans. It was hardly light, and, in spite of l'Encuerado'spredictions, it had not rained. The light of our fire, when we stirredit, soon drove away our winged friends; but, thanks to their waking us, the first rays of the sun found us all ready to set out. Just as we weregoing to start, an unforeseen difficulty arose--how to cross the ravineand ford the river? L'Encuerado said that it would be necessary to goup-stream; I, also, agreed with him. Sumichrast, on the contrary, was ofopinion that there was much more chance of the banks becoming less steepif we went in the opposite direction; he carried the day, and led theway, cutting a passage through the shrubs with his _machete_. 

As we were determined to skirt the edge of the water, we could not getalong without great difficulty. The noise of the torrent, which seemedto grow louder, attracted us towards the forest, where the absence ofgrass and under-wood enabled us to get on faster. The trees grew fartherand farther apart, and we again came upon brush-wood, ere long comingout on to a plain, dotted here and there with guava-trees. These treesfurnished us with a quantity of green fruit, of which we were all veryfond. L'Encuerado availed himself of this unexpected harvest by fillingup all the gaps in his basket with them. The wild guava, a sort ofmyrtle, which grows naturally in the _Terre-Tempérée_, reaches to aheight of several feet. Its fruit, which seldom gets ripe before it iseaten by the birds or larvæ, is luscious, highly scented, and full ofpips; they have the reputation of being antifebrile and astringent. Whenthe shrub is cultivated, its appearance changes considerably; itsbranches grow longer, and are covered with leaves which are silvery onthe back, and the fruit they yield are as large as lemons, which theyresemble in shape and color. 

We all put on our travelling gear again; but when l'Encuerado wanted toplace the basket on his back, he found he could not possibly lift it up. I helped him, trying all the time to persuade him to throw away half hisstock; but he resolutely refused to follow my advice. When he began towalk, he staggered like a drunken man, and at last fell down beneath hisburden, and all the guavas rolled out on to the ground. 

Our laughter rather hurt the brave Indian's feelings. 

"By Jose-Maria!" he cried, holding up his hands towards heaven, "I amgetting old. Oh, what a disgrace, not to be able to carry a handful ofguavas! In my youth it would have taken three such loads as those tohave made me fall down on my knees like a broken-down horse. Poor oldfellow!"

L'Encuerado was certainly exaggerating his former strength; but, at anyrate, it cut him to the heart to have to throw away so much of the fruithe had gathered, and our insisting upon his doing so quite crowned hisvexation. With a view of consoling him, I reminded him that the guavaswould spoil in twenty-four hours, and that his basket held more than wecould possibly consume. 

Sumichrast was walking about twenty steps in front of us, when suddenlyhe stopped and drew back. When I got abreast of him, my eyes met animmense ravine, at the bottom of which the torrent was rushing with aloud noise. The water was first calm and sluggish, accumulating in alarge basin, then it suddenly burst forth against an immense rock anddisappeared, roaring and foaming in two columns, which, after uniting, broke into a thousand little cascades. We all wished to visit the bottomof this ravine, in order to enjoy this wondrous sight in all itsgrandeur. 

Before making our way into the brush-wood we put down our insect-casesand game-bags, for the enterprise required our unimpeded agility. Aslong as we could cling on to the plants and shrubs, the descent was merechild's play; but we soon found ourselves treading on a reddishferruginous soil, which some great land-slip had exposed. Sumichrast wasthe first to venture on this dangerous ground, which gave way under himat his third stride. Our companion rolled over the declivity, instinctively grasping the first branches he could reach; but he let godirectly, uttering a piercing cry. Fortunately a shrub kept him fromfalling into the gulf. I planted my feet as deeply as I could in thecrumbling soil, so as to be able to help my friend, who, with his facecontracted with pain, raised towards me his right hand, which wasalready red, swollen, and covered with blisters. The branch he hadcaught hold of in his fall belonged to a gigantic nettle, called by theIndians _Mala-mujer_, or "bad-woman. " This plant only grows on dampbanks--"a piece of malice, " said l'Encuerado, "adopted in order to playshameful tricks on unsuspecting travellers; towards whom ittreacherously stretches out its green stalks and velvety leaves as ifoffering them assistance. "

[Illustration: "A shrub kept him from falling into the gulf. "]

We felt quite grieved at Sumichrast's suffering; for we well knew byexperience the intolerable pain which is produced by the sting of thisherb. L'Encuerado took Lucien in charge, while I gave my assistance tothe injured man. For some distance we moved along without muchdifficulty, but very soon a whole forest of nettles stood up in front ofus. Lucien and Sumichrast sat down, while the Indian and I, by means ofour _machetes_, opened out a narrow path; at last we reached again thetimber land, so we had now almost got out of our difficulties. 

The stalks of the nettles, cut off a few inches above the ground, servedto give firmness to our footing. But l'Encuerado, always too confident, tripped up, and his right cheek was brushed by some of their leaves; itonly needed this to render him perfectly unrecognizable. Although Ipitied him, I could not help smiling at the grimaces produced on hissun-burnt visage by the painful stings. Even Sumichrast, when looking athim, forgot his own sufferings. 

Under a cypress, we observed five or six snakes, each about a yard and ahalf long. One, more courageous than the others, remained under thetrees and steadily surveyed our party. Gringalet, furious in theextreme, barked and jumped all round the reptile, which, raising itshead from the centre of the coil formed by its body, shot out itstongue. Its skin was of a golden yellow, dotted with green spots, andstreaked by two almost imperceptible black lines. L'Encuerado called inthe dog; the snake then coiled itself up, slowly turning its head inevery direction, as if to select the best direction for retreat. Suddenly it unrolled its whole length, exposing to our view anunfortunate sparrow, which was still breathing. Leaving it unmolested, after a few minutes' delay it seized its victim by the head, by degreesthe little feathered innocent disappeared, and the snake remainedmotionless as though exhausted by the exertion. 

"Is it a rattle-snake?" asked Lucien astonished. 

"No; it is a common snake--that is, a reptile which is not venomous. This one is called by the Indians the _Yellow-snake_, and, fromignorance, they are in very great dread of them. It is in the habit ofclimbing trees with great activity, and hunts birds. The statues of theAztec god of war, the terrible Huitzilipochtli, to whom thousands of menwere offered as living sacrifices, had their foreheads bound with agolden snake, and we have every reason to believe that the reptile whichwe have just seen is that which the Indians thus honored. "

A little farther on, Lucien fancied that he saw, stretched out upon thegrass, a long white snake. Gringalet, much bolder than usual, seized thereptile in his mouth and brought it to us. But it was nothing but aserpent's skin: I then told the child that all reptiles of this kindchange their skin twice a year, and they get out of it as if from asheath. 

We continued our descent, and l'Encuerado, who had taken the lead, suddenly turned back to us with his head covered with an immensevegetable helmet. I at once recognized it to be the flower of a plant Ihad met with in the neighboring mountains. Nothing could be moresplendid than this blossom, which, before it is full-blown, looks like aduck sitting on the water. In a single morning the enormous corollaopens out and changes into a form resembling a helmet surmounted by acrest; the interior of it, lined with yellow velvet, almost dazzles theeyes. The seed of this creeper, the Indian name of which I forget, isflat, and of a heart-like shape, having depicted on one of its faces aMaltese cross. 

[Illustration: The Cataract. ]

Even Sumichrast for a moment forgot his injuries while examining thiswonderful flower, and Lucien, finding a second, very soon covered hishead with it; but the poisonous and penetrating odor exhaled from thecorolla made him feel sick, so he soon relinquished this novelhead-dress. 

A few more steps brought us to the bottom of the ravine, and Sumichrastand l'Encuerado set to work to bathe their stings in the cool water;while I and Lucien sat down together on a rock, washed on one side bythe stream, and leisurely contemplated the beautiful scene before us. 

In front of us was situated an immense mountain, cleft open as if by thehand of some giant, the sides of which were clad with a carpet ofverdure of a thousand different shades. At the bottom, as if for thepurpose of stopping up the immense fissure, there was an enormousaccumulation of gray and dark-tinted rocks, between which appeared, every here and there, the foliage of some tree, enamelled with flowers. From the midst of the mountain, as if from some invisible cavern, sprungout a large sheet of transparent water, which, although calm and almostmotionless in appearance, descended in one fall to a rock whichprojected in the cataract, like the prow of a ship. As if renderedfurious by the shock, and seeming to revel in the uproar, the water, converted into foam, bounded over the obstacle, and fell in two columns, separated by the black point of crag; then, springing with impetuousspeed, from step to step, down a gigantic staircase, it entered areceptacle hollowed out like a shell, which received the foaming water, from whence it flowed gently into a basin edged with verdure. Thetorrent, quieted for a time, resumed its course, and striking againstimpediments, rolled on from fall to fall, and from valley to valley, until it reached the plains, more than three thousand feet beneath. 

This cascade recalled to my memory one I had seen about a year before, when exploring the environs of Tuxtla, in the _Terre-Chaude_--viz. , theFall of Ingénio--one which would be reckoned among the most celebratedin the world, if access to it was not rendered almost impossible by thewilderness. 

The sufferings of our two companions were so much alleviated by theapplication of water that they soon came and sat beside us. I can notdescribe the proud enjoyment we all felt in this wild spot. We were faceto face with this unknown cascade, which we were, perhaps, the firstEuropeans to contemplate. Behind us the mountain sides seemed to uniteand hem in the bed of the torrent. The sun bathed with its rays thatportion which was bordered with large trees, among which kingfisherswere skimming about. One of these birds came and perched close tous--its breast was white, its wings black on the upper side, and itshead-feathers dark green; its stout, thick-set shape, and its shorttail, made Lucien remark that it looked like a malformed creature. Always restless, it almost immediately resumed its abrupt flight overthe surface of the water, and disappeared among the windings of theravine. 

Lucien pointed out to me an immense willow, the branches of which, drooping over the water, seemed to have at their ends enormousgourd-shaped fruits. I recognized in them the nests of those beautifulyellow birds, spotted with black, which the Mexicans call _calandres_. To convince Lucien of his mistake, l'Encuerado threw a large stone intothe tree; the missile fell from branch to branch, and more than ahundred frightened birds flew out from their curious retreats. At firstthey appeared much alarmed; but when this had subsided, they skimmedover the water, or entered their impregnable habitations. 

[Illustration: Fall of Ingénio (from a drawing by the Marquis ofRadepoint). ]

We made our way down the ravine in hopes of finding a resting-place lessrugged, and after a long, winding, tedious course, came upon a sheet ofcalm water, flowing over a bed of sand. The sun was shining full openupon its transparent surface, and, close to the edge, hundreds of flieswere whirling about. 

"Those are coleopteræ, " said Sumichrast to Lucien. 

"Why do they turn round and round like that?" inquired he. 

"To find their food, for they are carnivorous, and require a great dealof nourishment. In France they are commonly called _tourniquets_, or_water-fleas_. "

Lucien wanted to catch one, but could not succeed; l'Encuerado andSumichrast joined in the pursuit. At first I amused myself with watchingthe useless efforts of my companions; but at last, thinking myselfcleverer than they, I squatted down also. There we all four were, withour hands in the water, perfectly motionless, and holding our breath, the better to remain motionless. The insects were all in a close mass, and whirling round like a living mosaic, moving in every directionwithout separating; but however quickly we raised our hands, we allfailed in our efforts. 

An hour was spent in this way, and even then we should not have given upthe chase if the sun had not ceased to shine on the bank, and theinsects had therefore moved beyond our reach, so as to be within itsinfluence. Lucien, vexed at their going away, and l'Encuerado, furiousat having been conquered by the agile creatures, commenced throwingstones at them with the hope of wounding one. Even in this they did notsucceed, so l'Encuerado satisfied himself by calling them fools, a namewhich, in his opinion, constituted a gross insult. 

About twenty tadpoles, swimming in a puddle of water, were taken byLucien for fish. 

"They are frogs, " I said to him. 

"Where are their feet, then?"

"Under the brown skin, which makes them look like fish; when the timeof their metamorphosis arrives, this skin will split all down theirback, and a little frog will come out of it. Look at this tadpole I havejust caught; you can see the feet through its transparent skin. To-dayit is a fish, that is to say, it breathes through gills--those littletufts you see on each side of its head--and perhaps to-morrow it willundergo that metamorphosis which will cause it to breathe through itsmouth. The Toltecs, the great nation which preceded the Aztecs inMexico, counted the frog among their gods. "

When putting the tadpole back into the pool, I noticed some whitishinsects, which were incessantly rising in jerks to the surface of thewater, and diving down again directly. Lucien, astonished at theirmovements, cried out--

"But, papa, they are walking on their backs!"

"You are quite right; they are hydrocorises, allied to the tettigones, and consequently _hemipteræ_. "

The young naturalist was more successful than in his gyrin-hunting, andsucceeded in catching two or three of these water-bugs. 

"What is the use of their wings?" he inquired. 

"Why, to fly with, and to move from place to place. "

"Then water-bugs are really able to fly, swim, and walk?"

"Yes; and I'm sure they can see in the dark, too, " said l'Encuerado, who, it may be remembered, envied animals this privilege. 

"We are certainly justified in thinking so, " I answered, smiling, "forthey nearly always choose the night for travelling. Take care they don'tbite you, for the water-bug bites as hard as its kinsmen of the woodsand houses. "

A little farther on, Lucien stopped in front of an herbaceous plant, covered from top to bottom with round, flat black insects, speckled withred, and almost resembling mosaic-work. He was very proud of hisbeautiful discovery, and took hold of two or three of the insects; butfeeling their soft bodies give way in his fingers, he threw them downwith disgust. 

"Oh! what are these horrid creatures?"

"They are wood-bugs, " replied Sumichrast; "only they are in the state of_larvæ_, and have no wings. "

"What has caused this nasty smell on my fingers?"

"When any one touches these insects, a very strong-smelling yellowishliquid always exudes from them. "

Lucien ran off to wash his hands. He rubbed them over and over again, but could not quite get rid of the smell, which seemed to annoy him verymuch. I concluded from this that in future he would not have manywood-bugs in his collection. 

After a long ramble at the bottom of the ravine, we had to return to ourstarting-point, which was the only side by which we could obtain anexit. We found the cataract perfectly bathed in light. The large uppersheet of water looked like a block of azure-stone, while the spraybeneath glittered as if covered with diamonds. Above our heads a rainbowspanned the stream from bank to bank. 

I at last succeeded in tearing my companions away from this wondrousscene. We had met with no game, but a great part of our fawn was yetremaining in the basket. Sumichrast was still in pain, and l'Encuerado'sface continued much inflamed. We now had to ascend, and we each adoptedthe greatest precaution while passing the spot where we had seen theserpents. I don't know how we should ever have got up if l'Encuerado hadnot thought of cutting some branches of dwarf elder for walking-sticks. Above every thing, I wished to keep Lucien from the suffering caused bycoming in contact with the _Mala-mujer_, as the Mexicans call it, and itwas with a sigh of relief that I saw him safe and sound out of this_cul-de-sac_. 

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XII. 

A RELATION OF GRINGALET. --OUR FOUR-FOOTED GUIDE. --A REVIEW OF OURPARTY. --THE ALLIGATOR-TORTOISE. --THE PHEASANTS. --THE MAGNOLIA. --THENUTMEG-TREE. --THE BLUE-PLANT. --THE CATERPILLAR. 

As the sun was setting, our wisest course was to go back to our bivouacof the evening before, and to postpone until the next day the discoveryof the passage we had sought in vain. Upon the whole, the sight of thecataract had amply repaid us for our useless walk. 

Our little party, therefore, once more plunged into the forest, ratherat random, though taking care not to go too far from the stream. Two orthree times we seemed to have reached the spot where we left the bank;but we soon got into the most inextricable thickets. As the time woreon, I began to think we had passed the place; and, as is often the casein similar circumstances, opinions were divided. A fox, which appearedwithin gunshot, interrupted our discussion. I fired, and the animalfell. It was a magnificent specimen, and exactly like its Europeanconfrere. By a singular chance, at the very moment it was expiring, acrow just above our heads uttered a loud croaking. 

"There! the crow is thanking us for having rid him of his enemy, thefox, " said Sumichrast to Lucien. 

The boy laughed heartily at this joke. In spite of our advice, l'Encuerado would insist upon skinning the animal, whose pelt he wishedto preserve. Fortunately, he was very quick at such an operation, andthe beautiful fur was soon hanging over his arm, ready to be stretchedoutside his basket to dry. 

"I hope, " said Sumichrast to Lucien, "that you have already recognizedthe fox's relationship. "

"Oh yes! in its color and shape it is like the _cayotte_. "

"You are quite right, but the _cayotte_ and the fox are both Gringalet'scousins. "

"I can scarcely believe that, for Gringalet has short hair, is spottedwith black and white, has gray eyes--"

"Those are only secondary characteristics, " interrupted Sumichrast. "Gringalet belongs to the carnivorous type, called by naturalists_Digitigrades_. "

"Is Gringalet a digitigrade?" asked Lucien, smiling. 

"Yes, certainly; that is to say, he walks on his toes, and not on thesole of his feet, exactly like the fox, whose teeth, also, are perfectlysimilar to those of Gringalet. The principal difference between them is, that the fox has eyes which are formed so as to enable it to see in thedark, a quality which Gringalet does not possess in the same degree. "

"Are there such things as wild dogs?"

"Yes, although the point has been much disputed. But the dog, thefaithful companion of man, has been so long domesticated, that littlesimilarity of appearance exists between them. However, the _cayotte_, the fox, and the wolf may be called wild dogs. "

We had once more got into the midst of a thicket without discovering theleast trace of our resting-place. It became important that we shouldsoon find our starting-point. I noticed that Gringalet, instead ofgambolling round us as he generally did, remained behind, pricking uphis ears, and appearing excessively knowing. 

"What do you think, shall we take Gringalet for our guide?" said I. 

As soon as the animal heard his name mentioned, he rushed towards me, and I patted him. 

"Come, tell your dog to lead us to the bivouac, " I said to Lucien. 

"To the bivouac! to the bivouac!" cried the boy, patting the animal. 

Gringalet really seemed to understand, for he sniffed up the air, and atonce went to the front. I soon discovered that he was taking us back bya very circuitous path. 

"To the bivouac! to the bivouac!"

Gradually the noise of the torrent became more distinct, and our guideplunged into the brush-wood. While we were cutting down the branchesthat stopped up our path, Gringalet waited with his ears pricked up andone foot uplifted. At last we caught sight of the hut, which was greetedwith such pleasure and relief as only known by fatigued travellers. 

It was not without emotion that I again beheld this spot, to which Ihad, as I thought, said good-bye forever. The scarcely extinguishedembers, and the shelter which we had raised, had quite a home-likeappearance. Sumichrast said he felt the same impression, and Luciendeclared that his first idea had been that we should find an Indian inthe hut. 

But what about Gringalet? Had he then really understood us? Those whohave made a trial of canine intelligence will not doubt the fact for amoment. The word _bivouac_, having been so often pronounced since we setout, must have struck both the mind and the ears of the animal, so as tohave become almost synonymous in his ideas with dinner and rest. 

The next day at sunrise we set out, gently ascending the course of thestream. Sumichrast's hand was still in pain, and quite prevented himusing his gun. L'Encuerado, though disfigured, had, at least, the freeuse of his limbs. The inexperienced traveller is incessantly exposed tomisfortunes of this kind. Turned out into the midst of various unknownnatural objects, he carelessly plucks a leaf, breaks down a branch, orgathers a flower; and in many cases his punishment is prompt andterrible, and the innocent diversion of a second has to be expiated byhours of anguish. In the wild life of the wilderness, dangers become somultiplied, that more courage than is generally supposed is required toface them. Every explorer of unknown scenes must make up his mind toendure hardships. More than one whom I have seen start full ofconfidence, at the end of three days have returned, wearied, bruised, ill, discouraged, and, in fact, conquered. By degrees, of course, experience comes to the help of those whose moral courage is strongenough to induce them to persevere. They soon learn to recognize at aglance the tree that it is best to avoid, the grass that must not betrodden on, the creeper the touch of which is to be shunned, and thefruit which should not be tasted. At last the requirements of the bodyare to some extent mastered, and it follows the dictation of the soulwithout complaint. The long-experienced traveller can scarcely fail tobe astonished at the delicate susceptibility of his casing of flesh, which is bruised by blows, torn by thorns, devoured by insects, and yet, day after day, the persevering man continues to face death under itsmost horrible aspects--poison from venom of serpents, giddiness fromsun-stroke, blindness from the power of the moon, want of sleep, hunger, and thirst. 

I had just taken a review of our situation when these reflections weresuggested to me. Halting, I permitted my comrades to pass me; theirappearance, after so many days' travel, I give. First, there wasSumichrast, tall and broad-shouldered, his features displaying bothmildness and energy; one arm in a sling, his clothes torn to shreds, andhis face furrowed by five or six deep scratches; leaning on a stickcarried in his left hand, he seemed a little bent; but his vigorous formstill told of abundant endurance and determination. Behind him, his gunslung to his cross-belt, came Lucien, slightly stooping, although hisstep was firm and determined; his face was seamed with scratches, hishands bruised and brown from exposure. As he passed in front of me, hesmiled and gave a joyous hurrah, and lifted his cap, beneath which hishair flowed down in golden curls. Gringalet, now reconciled to thesquirrels' skins, walked close by his master; truly he looked likestanding more work. Lastly, l'Encuerado, his arms and legs bare, andladen with guavas, brought up the rear. The brave Indian tried to raisehis straw-hat as he passed by me, his bony visage expanded, and hissmile showed a row of white teeth which were worthy of competing withGringalet's. Well satisfied with my inspection, I shouldered my gun, andresumed the head of the column. 

The cliffs of the ravine became gradually more wooded, and the descentwas effected without accident. I kept along the bank looking out for aford. At last a bend of the stream, where the water flowed calmly andsilently, enabled us to do so without difficulty. I then proposed ahalt. Close by us rose some enormous rocks covered with moss, which, inflood-time, must have been reached by the water; in front of us was agentle slope covered with turf. 

We were descending the slope when an object, indistinct at first, emerged from the edge of the wood, and, appearing to roll more than runover the grass, advanced toward us. It was an enormous tortoise; but atortoise which might successfully have raced with the hare. L'Encueradotried to stop it, but fell in his effort. Sumichrast, quite forgettinghis bad hand, dealt the animal a blow with the butt-end of his gun, theeffect of which was slightly to slacken the pace of the enemy. TheIndian, furious at his failure, threw down his load, and came runningup. Our united efforts succeeded, about twenty feet from the stream, inthrowing the animal on its back. 

Lucien, rather startled at this scene, and at the size of the tortoise, then came nearer to examine it. I kept him at some distance from thereptile, who was viciously agitating its enormous feet, armed withformidable claws; while its mouth, which was like a horny beak, openedand shut menacingly. 

"It is a _galapago_, " said l'Encuerado; "it is of no use for food. "

This creature, which is called by the _savants_ the_alligator-tortoise_, measured more than a yard from its head to itstail. The latter appendage was almost as long as the body, and wascovered with a triple row of scaly crests fitting into each other. Thegray, wrinkled, and almost scaly skin of the reptile formed rolls roundits neck of a disgusting appearance--one might almost fancy themunhealthy excrescences. The horrible beast turned towards us its gapingmouth with a vicious manner. The turtle-fishers much dread the_galapagos_, which, being more agile than the ordinary tortoise, givethem sometimes frightful wounds, either with their sharp claws or theirhorny jaws. Their flesh is declared to be unwholesome. 

Just as we were leaving, l'Encuerado wanted to cut off the reptile'shead. Sumichrast opposed this useless slaughter, and was inclined toreplace the tortoise on its feet. But the Indian refused to assist inthis good work, for he asserted that it was equivalent to leaving arattlesnake alive. Two or three times the animal was very nearlyrepaying our kindness by a bite; for, as soon as we came near, itmanaged to twist round on its upper shell. We were about to abandon itto its fate, when suddenly, the slope of the ground helping us, wemanaged to set it on its feet; as soon as it was turned over, it rushedat Lucien. The enormous rolls round its neck, being all distended, madeit carry its head very forward, so, with a single blow of his cutlass, l'Encuerado decapitated the assailant. We were then witnesses to astrange sight, for while Gringalet was furiously attacking themotionless head, the feet, continuing to move, bore along the body, which in a moment disappeared in the lake. Although we had often beforeseen tortoises survive for a considerable time wounds which werecertainly mortal, the strength of the nervous system which was exhibitedin this reptile almost staggered us. 

"Now, my brave friend, try and swim without your head, and take care notto break your skull against the rocks!" cried the exasperated Indian. "The father saves your life, and then you want to hurt his child! Youhardly saw me, or you'd have known that I am pretty well able to bite. Good-bye! and take good care of yourself!"

We may readily see that the Indian was any thing but a generous enemy;but the fact was, the _galapagos_ were old enemies, for one had nearlybitten off his hand while he was bathing. The turf-carpeted bank soonled us into the thick forest again. We had been walking for more than anhour through a perfect labyrinth of gigantic trees, and over a bare andyet rich soil--for it is only in the glades that the ground is coveredwith grass--when l'Encuerado heard the call of a small species ofpheasant peculiar to this country. 

"Bend towards the left to get near the game, " said Sumichrast, in a lowvoice; "and, whatever you do, don't shake the foliage. "

"We're all right now, " muttered l'Encuerado; "listen! I'll predict thatwe shall have a good dinner to-day. "

The Indian laid down his load, which Sumichrast and Lucien took chargeof, while I followed the former behind the trees. My companion soon wenta little in front, and imitated the cry of the bird we were pursuing, soas to make them answer, and thus show us where they were hidden. Theimitation was really so perfect that I moved towards it, thinking tofind the bird, and of course came upon the Indian lying in ambush. Thissame mistake had happened to me before with Sumichrast, who imitated thevoice of birds almost as well as the Indian. At last his cry produced ananswer, and at about a hundred yards from us, on the top of a not verytall oak, were perched three enormous pheasants. 

Bent down and crawling behind the trees, I joined l'Encuerado, keepingmy eye fixed on the game, which stretched out their necks with ananxious look, and seemed to be listening. Two gun-shots went off atonce; one of the birds fell dead at our feet, and the two others flewaway. One of these fugitives flew high above the tree-tops, but theother, being wounded, was unable to follow its companion; I darted offin pursuit, making sure of bagging it. The poor bird reached the groundand tried hard to run; I was not more than fifty paces from it, when atiger-cat, with a black coat, bounded forward, and, seizing it, disappeared before I had time to recover from my surprise. The marauderwas abused as a thief and a rogue by l'Encuerado, who had been a witnessof this misfortune. Lucien examined the pheasant, which was almost asbig as a turkey; but its sombre plumage did not at all answer to themagnificent idea which the boy had formed of this bird. He thought thatthe head was much too small for the body, and its naked and warty cheeksled him to observe that the pheasant had the appearance of having put ontwo plasters of tortoise-skin, a remark which was certainly wellfounded. With regard to the beautiful and many-colored pheasant-speciespeculiar to Asia and Africa, Mexico possesses none of them, so far, atleast, as I know. 

About two o'clock in the afternoon, Lucien remarked that the trees grewfarther apart, which was a sign that we were approaching an open gladeor the foot of a mountain. Sumichrast made the boy walk in front asleader--a reward for the sharpness of his eyes. Proud of this duty, ourlittle guide led us to an opening edged with a rampart of wood at ashort distance off. 

"Halt!" cried I. 

The butts of the guns were dropped upon the ground at this order; ourhut was soon constructed, and l'Encuerado immediately afterwards busiedhimself preparing our meal. 

[Illustration: "A tiger-cat bounded forward and seized the pheasant. "]

Sumichrast, who, from the state of his hand, was condemned to idleness, remained with the Indian, while I proceeded, in company with Gringaletand Lucien, to reconnoitre the vicinity of our bivouac. Almostimmediately, a _yoloxochitl_, a species of magnolia, met our eyes. Icalled l'Encuerado, who climbed the tree in order to throw us down someof its beautiful sweet-smelling flowers; they are externally of apinkish-white color, yellow on the inside, and the petals, beforethey are full-blown, assume the form of a cross, and afterwards that ofa splendid star. The Indian did not fail to remind us that an infusionof the glittering leaves of the _yoloxochitl_ is a remedy againstdiarrh[oe]a, and that its flowers, as their shape indicates, curepalpitation of the heart. A little farther on we recognized anutmeg-tree, a shrub about ten feet in height, and covered withhalf-formed fruit. The nutmeg is not cultivated in Mexico, and the treethat produces it is rather rare. The Indians, however, use an enormousquantity of the Molucca nutmegs, either as a remedy or as acondiment--nutmegs, camphor, and asaf[oe]tida being the principal Indianremedies. I next pointed out to my young companion a plant named the_blue herb_, the leaves of which stain the water in which they aresoaked with a lovely azure tinge. In Mexico a variety of this vegetableis cultivated, in order to extract from it the coloring matter commonlyknown under the name of _indigo_. 

"But how do they manage, " asked Lucien, "to obtain from a plant thosedark-blue stones that I have seen sold in the market?"

"About the month of March, " I answered, "are gathered the fresh leavesof the indigo-plant, which is one of the leguminous family, and poundthem in mortars made out of the trunks of trees. The sap which resultsfrom these leaves, when subjected to a heavy pressure, is of a greenishtinge, and sometimes even colorless; it does not become blue until afterfermentation in the open air. The Indians then boil it in an immensecopper, and, the water evaporating, the indigo is left in the form of asoft and gelatinous paste, which is subsequently dried in the sun. "

On approaching the foot of the mountain, I found that it would beimpossible for us to climb it the next day, the slope being too steep. Isat down on the trunk of a fallen tree, when I detected a very decidedsmell of roses. Under the bark of a log _esquina_ Lucien had discoveredfive or six beautiful insects of an azure-blue color, with red feet;these insects are very common in the sandy soils of Tehuacan, and areused by the ladies of that district to perfume their linen. Delighted atthis discovery, Lucien continued his search, hoping to find some morespecimens which he intended to take to his mother. He was kneeling downand working energetically, when he pointed out to me an enormouscaterpillar. 

It was of an emerald-green color, and had on its back a row of littleprojections like small trees, symmetrically arranged. These were of abrilliant red, terminating in shoots the same color as the animal'sbody. 

"What a curious creature!" cried Lucien; "it looks as if it carried agarden on its back; what use are all these bushes?"

"It is not known, and it is a curious fact that the butterfly whichsprings from the caterpillar shows no trace of all thisstrangely-arranged hair. "

"Will a butterfly come from this caterpillar?"

"Yes, certainly; all butterflies lay eggs, from which proceedcaterpillars, which generally destroy the plants on which they arehatched. When arrived at maturity, the caterpillar spins a cocoon ofsilk, more or less fine, in the centre of which it incloses itself. Itis then called a _chrysalis_. In this cocoon the butterfly is formed, either white or black, yellow or green, and there it remains inactiveand imprisoned, like a baby in swadding-clothes. In spring it perforatesits silken prison, and soon makes its escape a splendid butterfly, subsisting upon the juices of the flowers obtained through itsproboscis. Surely you were not ignorant of all these transformations?"

"I thought that they only took place in silk-worms. "

"Well, now you are undeceived; all caterpillars and all butterflies aresubject to them; but there are few caterpillars which spin so valuable acocoon as the silk-worm. Moreover, some bury themselves in the earth;while others hide in the middle of a leaf, the edges of which they curlround so as to form a kind of bag, in which they are protected from thebeaks of birds; again, some hollow out a shelter in the trunk of a tree, and line their abode with silk more or less fine. Thus, in every case, the chrysalis waits patiently for the time when it will change from aworm into a butterfly, painted with the richest colors. "

The subject was really an inexhaustible one, so I deferred the rest ofmy explanations to another day. Besides, l'Encuerado was loudly callingfor us. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XIII. 

THE SENSITIVE-PLANT. --GRINGALET AND THE PORCUPINE. --THE MEXICANCHAMELEON. --THE KITE AND THE FALCON. --AN AMPHISBÆNA SNAKE. --A COUNCIL OFTURKEYS. 

Lucien, seated on the grass, amused himself with touching all the plantswithin reach of his travelling staff; suddenly he noticed that thebranches and leaves of a small shrub shut up when he brushed them withhis stick, just like the ribs of a parasol, moved by some invisiblespring--it was a _sensitive-plant_. 

He called to us to ask for an explanation of this phenomenon, so weassembled round the shrub, which was about three feet high; its leavesfinely cut and of a delicate green color, with pink flowers in tuftshalf hidden among them. The leaves, touched by the stick, shrank upclose to the parent stem, and the oval, slender, and delicate ones, rising on their stalks, pressed against one another. In about fiveminutes the leaves which had been rubbed again spread out, as if theyhad recovered from their fright. 

It was, however, only for a short time; for Lucien amused himself byrubbing his fingers over the leaves, which immediately doubled up, as ifoffended by the slight touch. The Indians call it the "Bashful Plant. " Ablow struck on the principal stem is sufficient to make all the branchesclose, as if animated by a kind of modest feeling. When the sun sets, the sensitive plant spontaneously shuts up its delicate foliage, whichdoes not open again freely until the return of day. 

Lucien's first idea, at waking, was to run towards the shrubs whichinterested him the day before. They were covered with dew, and looked asif they were asleep, until the first rays of the sun fell upon them. Before we started, the young naturalist again tested the delicatesensibility of the plant, which Sumichrast told him was allied to thetree which produces gum-arabic. 

L'Encuerado's cheek was less swollen, and Sumichrast could use his hand, although it still pained him. The mountain in front of us, which was toosteep to climb, caused us some perplexity. 

"Let us slant off to the left, over this moist ground, carpeted withturf, " said Sumichrast, plunging into the thicket. 

About midday, just as l'Encuerado was declaring, in a grumbling tone, that we ought to have inclined towards the right, our little troopentered the wood. An undulating slope led us to a summit not more thantwenty yards across, and in less than half an hour the opposite descentbrought us into a delicious glen. 

"Hallo! Master 'Sunbeam, '" cried Sumichrast, while helping me toconstruct our hut, "don't you recollect you are the one to provide thefire?"

"All right, " replied Lucien, who seemed to be lost in the contemplationof a dead branch; "I want to get hold of an insect which appears to bemaking, like us, natural-history collections, for I have just found inits nest a quantity of spiders, flies, and small worms. "

"It is one of the _Hymenoptera_, " said Sumichrast; "it collects allround its eggs the food the young will eat when they are hatched; theinsect is therefore full of forethought--a good example for us toimitate. "

When the fire was ready, we started off in light marching order toexplore the vicinity of our bivouac. Our position was commanded bymountains on all sides, and the glen was scarcely a quarter of a leaguein length. The pleasant coolness, and the presence of numerous birds, led us to hope that we should meet with a spring, which was all that wasneeded to convert this remote corner of the world into a perfectparadise. But our exploring only led to the discovery of a greenishpool, sheltered by an enormous rock, and which the dry season would soonevaporate. 

Gringalet's barking attracted our attention towards the forest, and Iperceived a porcupine on a tree. The animal, sitting up on its hindfeet, was looking at us with astonishment. Leaving it undisturbed, itappeared to forget us, and tearing off with its claws a piece of bark, it licked the inner side, which was doubtless covered with insects. Having repeated this operation several times, the animal advanced to theend of a branch, and seizing it with its prehensile tail, let itselfdown to the ground. Its large black eyes, of unusual mildness, werewidely opened, and its nose slit like hares and rabbits. It was justabout to stretch itself, when, to our great regret, l'Encuerado shot it;the poor beast fell over on the ground, and placing its hand-shapedpaws on the wound, rolled itself up into a ball at the foot of a tree. Gringalet darted forward to seize it, and then immediately retreated, howling with pain; he came back to us with his muzzle bristling with theporcupine's quills, which were about two inches long and finely pointed. The unfortunate dog rubbed his nose against the ground in order to getrelief, but, of course, this only increased his pain. Lucien ran to helphim, and at last succeeded in extracting them. 

"Have you lost your senses?" asked l'Encuerado of the dog, while washingthe poor beast's nose and mouth. "The idea of trying to bite a_huitzttacuatzin_! Upon my word, I thought you knew better than that. Nodoubt it's a good thing to be brave, but you must manage to be lessstupid when you are in the forests of the _Terre-Chaude_, unless youwant to be devoured by a tiger, or scratched to pieces by an ant-eater. "

After listening to l'Encuerado's speech, Lucien scolded him for firingat the poor animal, and then joined us, close to the porcupine, whichwas dying. It was about the size of a fox, and its fore paws werefurnished with four toes armed with claws. This animal, which is slow ofpace and entirely inoffensive, spreads round it a sickening musky odor. It lives on fruit, roots, and insects, and, aided by its prehensiletail, climbs trees with great skill. It but rarely tries to make itsescape at the approach of the hunter, who, moreover, utterly despisessuch worthless game. 

L'Encuerado reminded us that we had now been travelling twelve days, andthat it was the first Sunday in May. We should have devoted it to restif our morning's hunting had been successful; but, unless we contentedourselves with a dinner composed only of rice, we were obliged to shootsome eatable bird or animal to fill our stew-pot. We heard some dovescooing, and l'Encuerado went off alone in the direction of the sound, for these birds are difficult of approach. Gringalet, notwithstandingour calls, ran after the Indian. 

Lucien climbed the rock which hung over the pool, and made signs for meto come to him, saying, in a low voice, "Papa, come and look at this strange animal. "

I also climbed up, and found lying on the top a Mexican chameleon, akind of round-shaped lizard, with a brown skin dotted over with yellowspots, which seemed to change color in the light. Lucien tried to catchthe graceful reptile, which, however, glided between his fingers anddisappeared behind the rock. 

The Mexican chameleon lives only in the woods and among the rocks. Itchiefly delights in the oak forests, where the dark color of its bodyblends with the hue of the dry leaves, and enables it to liesuccessfully in ambush for the insects on which it feeds. Sumichrast, who had succeeded in taming a chameleon, told us that the reptile'sthroat, which was white during the daytime, assumed during the night adark hue; also, that it liked to be caressed, and became familiar enoughto take from his hand the flies which were offered it. The Indians, whohold the animal in great dread when alive, are in the habit of wearingits dried body as an amulet against the "evil eye. "

[Illustration: "The kite avoided the shock, and continued to rise in theair. "]

From our lofty observatory we were looking at the beautiful birds whichoccasionally flew across the plain, when Sumichrast suddenly fired. Hehad caught sight of a fine magpie, of an ashy-blue color, with its headcrowned by a tuft; its throat appeared as if it were bound round withblack velvet, a peculiarity which has obtained for it from the Indiansthe name of the "commander bird. " Lucien came down from the rock to goand pick up the game, when an enormous kite darted on the magpie, seizedit in its sharp claws, and immediately took flight. Sumichrast seizedhis gun to punish the impudent poacher, but a falcon, about the size ofa man's fist, made its appearance, and describing two or three rapidcircles, swooped down on the kite. The latter avoided the shock andcontinued to rise in the air, while its antagonist came almost to theground, uttering a shriek of rage. Again ascending, with extremerapidity, by an oblique flight, it a second time overtopped itsantagonist, and darted upon it like a flash of lightning. Their wingsbeat together, and a few feathers came fluttering to the ground. Theprey fell from the bird's grasp, followed in its fall by the falcon. Thekite, conquered by an enemy about one-fifth of its own size, flew roundand round in the air and then disappeared. The conqueror standing aboutthirty yards from us, eyes glittering and foot firmly planted on itsprey, magnificent in anger and daring, Sumichrast abandoned the game toit as a recompense for its courage. The bird, not at all satisfied atbeing so close to us, buried in the body of its victim its claws--soenormous in comparison to its own size--shook its wings and rose, atfirst with difficulty, when, its flight becoming more easy as itascended higher, it carried off its quarry behind the trees. 

Lucien, who from the ground beneath had followed all the changes andchances of this combat, soon joined us. 

"How was it that that great bird allowed itself to be conquered by sucha small adversary?" he asked of Sumichrast. 

"Because it was a coward. "

"But both have the same plumage, and almost the same shape; I took thesmall bird to be the young of the other. "

"The last is a falcon, and the other is a kite. They belong, in fact, tothe same family; but the falcon is noble and courageous, while the kiteis perhaps the most cowardly of all birds of prey. Falcons were onceused for hunting; for, as you have just seen, they have no fear ofattacking adversaries much larger than themselves. Added to this, theyare easily tamed. "

"But eagles are much stronger than falcons?"

"Eagles are birds of prey which do not at all merit the reputation whichpoets have endeavored to make for them; although they may be stronger, they exhibit much less bravery than falcons, and only attack animals ofsmall size. "

"Yet, surely the eagle is the king of birds; is it not able to lookstraight at the sun?"

"Yes, thanks to a membrane that shuts down over the pupil of its eye. Among all nations the eagle is the symbol of strength and courage: butstill the falcon possesses the latter of these qualities in a muchhigher degree; it is the falcon which is the real king of birds amongornithologists. The Mexicans, as you know, depict upon their banners aneagle sitting upon a cactus and tearing a serpent. "

"Is this intended as an emblem of strength and courage?"

"No, it has another origin. When the Aztecs, who were thought to benatives of Northern America, arrived in Mexico (which then bore the nameof Anahuac), they wandered about a long time before they settled. Oneday, near a lake, they found a cactus growing on a stone, and on thecactus an eagle was sitting. Guided by an oracle, a city was built, which was called Tenochtitlan, and subsequently Mexico. "

My historical lecture was interrupted by a distant shot. We had heardnothing of the doves for a long time, and we were expecting to see ourcompanion reappear; but he must have made an enormous curve in pursuingthem, to judge from the direction from which the report of his gunproceeded. Fortunately, from the position of the spot, there was notmuch likelihood of his missing his way: although we had full confidencein his instinct, we feared to what extent his ardor might carry him. 

We now kept on the look-out, hoping that chance would throw us incontact with some game. All at once there was a movement to our right inthe high grass, and its waving about pointed out the presence of somereptile. In a minute or two we saw a serpent making its way towards thepool; it was the species which is called by the Indians, as formerly bythe Greeks, the double-headed serpent. The amphisbæna was about a footand a half long, and its tail was swollen at the end, which gave it avery curious appearance. Its skin, covered with large scales, had abluish metallic glitter. It crawled slowly, and stopped every instant asif to bore into the ground, but in reality to pick up insects or ants. This singular snake quite enchanted Lucien, and Sumichrast told him tofire his gun at it, so as to be able to study it more closely. He had noneed to repeat his instructions; the young sportsman, who had begun tohandle his weapon very skillfully, at once placed it to his shoulder;the shot was fired, and the amphisbæna, tumbling over, disappeared inthe grass. The reptile had been hit, and we all of us clambered down therock as fast as we could, in the hopes of finding it dead. We sought forit in vain; the snake had made its escape into some hole, from which itwould be in vain to try to dislodge it. 

Gringalet now showed himself, soon followed by l'Encuerado. When hecaught sight of us, the Indian raised a loud "Hiou! hiou!" Waving hishat in the air, he threw upon the ground some dark object, which fellheavily on the turf, and then he began dancing. We roared with laughterat his grotesque steps, and Lucien ran towards the Mistec, who, afterhis dance, was acting the acrobat on the turf. 

"A turkey!" he cried; and an enormous bird, with bronzed plumage, waspassed from hand to hand. 

"Ah! Chanito, " cried the Indian, "if you had gone with me, you wouldhave seen a whole flock of them! I had chased those miserable doves tillI was tired, without even catching a glimpse of them, and was resting atthe foot of a tree, when Gringalet pricked up his ears, and running upthe opposite slope of the mountain, barked as loudly as if he sawanother porcupine. I also made my way there, and heard 'gobbles'resounding in every direction; Master Gringalet had fallen in with acouncil of turkeys. "

"A council of turkeys?" repeated Lucien. 

"Yes, Chanito, turkeys hold councils. They generally travel in flocksand on foot, although they know perfectly well how to fly when they wantto cross a stream or to make their escape; and when one of them wants tocommunicate his opinion to another, he raises a cry, and his companionsform a circle round him. "

"And what takes place then?"

"The preacher, " continued l'Encuerado, without the least idea ofirreverence, "lowers his neck and then lifts it up again, raises up thehair-like feathers on his crop, and spreads out his tail like a fan. Hethen addresses the assembled birds, who strut about with their wingshalf opened, and answer him with approving gobbles. "

The Indian, carried away by his narrative, added gestures to words, strutted about, rounded his arms and lowered his chin upon his breast, in order to imitate the ways of the birds which he was describing. 

"But what do they say?" asked Lucien, archly. 

"That depends on circumstances, " he replied, scratching his forehead. "The flock just now surprised must have cried out: 'What is thisanimal?'--'A dog, ' would be the answer of the most knowing among them. 'Fly, my friends, fly!' he would cry; 'dogs are always accompanied bymen, and men have guns. ' 'A gun! what's that?'--'A machine that goes_boum_ and kills turkeys. ' Then I make my appearance; they bustle about, fly away, and spread in every direction; but my gun had time to go_boum_ and to kill this beautiful bird. "

I need scarcely say what mirth was excited by this account. Whilereturning to our bivouac, Sumichrast told Lucien that the turkey is anative of America, and that it was introduced by the Jesuits intoEurope, where it flourished well. In a domestic state, the color of itsplumage altered to a reddish, a white, and a gray and black color. Butit never lost the habit of walking about in flocks, and of laying itseggs in thickets, in a shapeless nest, which the young chicks leave thesecond day after they are hatched. Lastly, the Aztec name of theturkey--_totole_--is applied by the Indians to simpletons and cowards. 

Lucien then told l'Encuerado about the magpie and the amphisbæna. 

"You killed a _maquiz coatl_--a two-headed serpent!" cried the Indian. 

"I only wounded it, for it got away; but it had only one head. "

"Then you didn't examine it thoroughly; for it would not turn round whenit crawled away. "

"I did not notice. I saw it leap up in the air, and that was all. "

"Have you searched well under the stones? Let us go back; the skin ofthe _maquiz coatl_ enables the blind to see. Why did you let it escape?"

"Oh! we shall be sure to find another. "

"You can't find them whenever you like; they are very rare, " replied theIndian, shaking his head. 

While the turkey was roasting under our superintendence, l'Encuerado andLucien went off to try and find the amphisbæna's hole. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration: "It looked like an immense pedestal, surmounted by twobronze statues. "]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XIV. 

THE METEOR. --GOD ALMIGHTY'S LANTERNS. --THE SKUNK. --THE JALAP-PLANT. --ANAERIAL JOURNEY. --THE ORCHIDS. --BIVOUAC IN THE MOUTH OF ACAVE. --GRINGALET AND THE BEETLES. --A WHITE ANTS' NEST. 

The sun left us soon afterwards, and we sat talking by the fire. At lastl'Encuerado took away Lucien towards the rocks, and set up one of thoseinterminable chants with which his memory was stored. Our fire lightedup with its red gleam the stone on which they were sitting, making itlook like an immense pedestal, surmounted by two bronze statues. Anytraveller suddenly entering the valley would have recoiled in terrorbefore this fantastic apparition; and if any wild beast had beenprowling near us, our gigantic shadows would certainly have made it keepits distance. 

We were just thinking of calling Lucien to come and lie down under thehut, when l'Encuerado shouted out to us. Towards the east, a largeluminous disk was shining brilliantly above the mountain peaks. Thisluminous globe, lengthening out into the shape of an ellipse, appearedto move along. 

In fact, it was descending slowly over the wooded crests. Lucien andl'Encuerado kept plying us with questions in reference to it, which wewere unable to answer. 

[Illustration]

"What is it?" cried Sumichrast. 

"A meteor!" I exclaimed, struck with a sudden idea. 

"If I had my gun ready, I would fire at it, at all events. "

"You had better not, " said I; "the globe may contain electric fluid, andwe might draw it down upon us. "

Soon afterwards the meteor passed by us. We threw ourselves down flat onthe earth, dreading this unknown visitor. When I ventured to rise, itwas some distance away, and yet appeared to be motionless. Raysincessantly quivering sprang from the centre of it; in the middle thelight was white, but at the edges it assumed first a yellowish, then ared, and lastly a bluish hue. We were suddenly almost blinded by a flashof intense brilliancy; a formidable explosion, repeated by the echoes, burst upon our ears, and all became silence and obscurity. 

While we were returning to our bivouac, Lucien and l'Encuerado pressedus with questions. 

"What are meteors?" asked Lucien, eagerly. 

"Some scientific men, " replied Sumichrast, "look upon them as fragmentsof planets wandering in space. Getting entangled in our planetarysystem, they yield to the attraction of our globe, and fall on to itssurface in obedience to the law of gravitation. "

"But what are they composed of?"

"Generally speaking, of sulphur, chromium, and earth. The phenomenon of'shooting stars' is connected with that of meteors, and any substancefalling on the surface of the earth receives the name of _aerolite_. "

"Do you wish to persuade me that stones rain down from the sky?" criedl'Encuerado. 

"Yes, certainly; and if I am not mistaken, it was in your country thatthe largest known aerolite was found, for it weighed no less than fiftyhundred-weights. To-morrow morning we will search for the one we haveseen, which must have dropped at the end of the valley. "

"Are these stones luminous?" rejoined the Indian. 

"No; but they take fire, owing to their rapid flight. "

"And whence did the meteor come which passed so close to us?"

"Either from the moon or the stars, or perhaps from the sun. "

L'Encuerado half-closed his eyes, and burst out laughing at what heconsidered a joke. He laughed, indeed, so heartily, that we could nothelp joining him. 

"Now what do you imagine the sun and moon really are?" asked Lucien. 

"God's lanterns, " replied the Indian, gravely. 

Our young companion was well accustomed to the artless ignorance of hisfriend, but still he always endeavored to contend against it; so he setto work to teach him something about our planetary system. Thedimensions which he attributed to the heavenly bodies seemed to affordgreat amusement to the Indian. At last, just when the young oratorfancied he had convinced his disciple, the latter embraced him, exclaiming:

"What an amusing tale! Oh! how pleased I should be to be able to readsuch pretty stories as that in a book!"

"Tales, indeed!" cried Lucien, quite indignant. 

"Well, the very idea of saying that the earth is a ball, which movesround and round, and that there are stars which are bigger! Many a nighthave I spent looking at the stars, and I know they are nothing butlanterns, and that's enough!"

"But if you have observed them so carefully, " interposed Sumichrast, "you must have observed that they are constantly shifting their places. "

"Yes, but that is because the angels don't always light up the samestars, and God has plenty of them in every direction--"

I now interrupted the conversation. 

"Come, let us all go to rest!" I cried, cutting short a discussion whichI knew, by experience, must end in Lucien and Sumichrast getting theworst of it. 

The next morning there was nothing better to do than to go with mycompanions to look after the aerolite. The ball of fire appeared to havepassed just over us, and I fancied that we should be certain to recoversome part of it. After an hour of useless wandering, we were compelledto admit that our eyes must have been much mistaken as to distances. L'Encuerado could not help smiling incredulously on hearing theconjectures which I and Sumichrast made; but he was generous enough notto take advantage of the superior astronomical knowledge which heassumed he possessed. 

On setting out I again crossed the valley, and then climbing themountain, I led my companions up to a plateau. 

As far as was possible I followed the route I thought the meteor hadtaken. L'Encuerado was just making his way into the forest whenSumichrast noticed a broken tree, a little to the right. I leaped up onthe slope, and soon remarked that the ground, for a space of at leasttwenty yards, was strewn with black or green stones, which had been in afused state, and evidently bore the appearance of iron _scoriæ_. Therecould be no doubt about it; the tree which had been struck had causedthe explosion of the meteor, and had broken under the shock. 

"These, therefore, are the remains of some of your sky-lanterns, " saidLucien to l'Encuerado, who had just picked up some large stones, shininglike metal. 

The Indian shook his head without answering. The fallen tree, the burnedand blackened trunk, the withered and even scorched grass, thesestrange-looking stones--every thing visibly combined to upset histheory. Each of us added to his load one of the aerolites; then, againreturning to the plateau, we plunged into the forest. 

One shot that Sumichrast made rendered him happy for the whole day. Hehad knocked down a green-colored crossbill, of a species still unknownin Europe. 

"What a queer bird!" cried Lucien. "How did it manage to eat with itsmouth all awry?"

"Its mouth, " replied Sumichrast, smiling, "is well adapted to its food. This bird--which we have here met with quite by chance, as it usuallyfrequents mountain-tops--feeds on roots, buds, and pine-cones. Owing toits two mandibles being so strongly made and so curiously arranged itcan cut through, as if with a pair of scissors, branches which a birdwith a pointed beak could never penetrate. "

"God is mindful of all His creatures, " muttered l'Encuerado, who washelping to skin the bird. "I had always fancied that these poorcreatures were deformed. "

Towards midday the chances of our path brought us to the bottom of anarrow valley in the midst of a clump of shrubs; this seemed a fit spotfor our bivouac. In the twinkling of an eye, the ground was cleared ofbrush-wood and our hut constructed. We had scarcely sat down to takebreath when a slight rustling in the foliage attracted our attention, and an animal with a bushy tail sprang down from a tree. Gringaletdarted at it, but an abominable smell, which almost suffocated us, atonce made him retreat. A skunk, which in shape and color somewhatresembles a squirrel, had thus perfectly poisoned our bivouac. 

[Illustration: "Above us, the trees crossed their branches. "]

Nothing was left for us but to decamp as quickly as possible, for thestench rendered the place uninhabitable for several days. L'Encueradocould not find enough bad names for abusing the animal, which, however, had only availed itself of the means of defense with which nature hasendowed it. Each of us now resumed his burden, sadly enough, I mustconfess, and not without throwing a disappointed glance at our hut. Sumichrast led the way, and did not stop till we found ourselvesperfectly exhausted at the entrance to a deep and narrow gorge. We stillfelt sickened by the horrible stench produced by the skunk, and, as wedid not wish to expose ourselves again to a similar misfortune, wetook care, before constructing a fresh hut, to search round the shrubsand bushes. A few birds shot on the road rendered it unnecessary for usto hunt any more, as we had an abundance of food, so we all set to workto repair our wardrobes. Our shoes first required our attention, andSumichrast constituted himself head-cobbler. L'Encuerado's sandals gavehim a great advantage over us; for all he required was a sole and aleathern strap, and then he was well shod. But, unfortunately, thedelicacy of our skin several times afforded Sumichrast cause for regretthat he had not been born an Indian. 

L'Encuerado, full of ingenuity, managed to fix some pieces of fox-skinon some old soles, and made for Lucien a pair of buskins as strong asthey were inelegant. He promised to make us some like them, andSumichrast, who succeeded only tolerably well in his cobbling, nominatedthe Indian "sandal-maker in ordinary and extraordinary to ourmajesties. "

The next morning at daybreak we entered a narrow gorge in which it wasimpossible for us to walk abreast. The whole morning was spent intravelling along between two stone ramparts, hung with mosses, ferns, and orchids. The moist soil rendered the temperature round ussufficiently cool and agreeable; but the pass was so filled up with thetrunks of fallen trees as to render our progress very laborious. 

The gorge extended to such a length that I began to be anxious about it, and to fear lest we had entered into a _cul-de-sac_. The perpendicularwalls rendered any deviation in our path impossible; above us, the treescrossed their branches and almost hid the sky. No bird enlivened thesolitude with its song, and ferns were so abundant that it seemed as ifwe had lighted upon some corner of the primitive world; as if to renderthe resemblance more complete, the reptiles scarcely fled at ourapproach, and obliged us to use the greatest care. 

Cutlass in hand, Lucien climbed nimbly over the fallen trees whichbarred our progress. Ere long our feet sank into a quantity of liquidmud, and I discovered a slender streamlet of limpid water oozing outbetween two rocks. The pass between the rocks became narrower andnarrower, and if a wild beast had then met us we should have had todispute the path with it. As a rencontre of this kind was by no meansimpossible, Lucien, to his displeasure, was ordered to follow in rear. 

The way now widened a little, and became more clear of impediments, andour little column advanced with rather more rapidity. We walked alongsilently between these stern and imposing granite walls, with theconstant hope of seeing them separate and open out into a valley. Everyfew yards some fresh turn frustrated our expectations; and if ever anypass deserved the name of the "Devil's Gorge, " it was the interminablefissure through which we had been compelled to walk for so long adistance. At various heights there were half-suspended rocks whichthreatened to fall upon us; for several previously had fallen and nowblocked up the path. At last a sudden turn revealed a wide opening; butour joy was of short duration; nothing but a perpendicular precipice layin front of us. 

We looked at one another in consternation; we were prisoners! On ourright and left were perpendicular walls more than a hundred feet high, and impossible to climb; before us there was a gulf with a verticalprecipice. What was to be done? Sumichrast lighted the pipe of council, while l'Encuerado clung on to the rocks and tried to measure the abysswith his eye. 

We were seated near a plant with slender branches and heart-shapedleaves tinged with red, concealing here and there a flower of a violetblue. I recognized in it the shrub which produces jalap, and is calledby the Indians _tolonpatl_. I called Lucien's attention to it, who soondug up four or five tap-roots of a pear-like shape. Jalap, which hastaken its name from the town of Jalapa, whence it was once forwarded toVera Cruz, grows naturally on all the mountains of the _Terre-Tempérée_. Unfortunately, the Indians destroy the plant by taking away all itsturbercles, and the time is not far distant when this drug, so much usedin Europe, will, like quinine, become very scarce. 

I drew close to the precipice, and perceived l'Encuerado more thantwenty feet below me crawling, with all the skill of a monkey, over analmost smooth surface. I ordered him to come up to us again; but he didnot seem able to get back, and remained motionless in his dangerousposition. Sumichrast hastened to bring me a lasso, which I let down toour daring companion. But instead of ascending, he slid down four orfive feet, and placing himself astride on the projecting trunk of atree, called out to us to let go the lasso; this he tied round a stoutbranch, and disappeared down the abyss. 

It was not long before we saw him again install himself on the treeround which he had rolled the leather strap, when he called out to usthat we might descend without any great danger. 

"How shall we fasten it?" asked Lucien; "there are no thick branchesjust at the edge. "

"The strap is a long one, and there is a bush not far off with prettystrong branches. "

"But then we shall lose the lasso, for none will be left to loosen it. "

"Upon my word!" cried Sumichrast, "Master Sunbeam is right. "

Then each of us tried to solve the problem, proposing expedients more orless impracticable. 

"I've found it out, " cried I at last, with quite as much satisfaction asArchimedes when he leaped out of his bath. 

Seizing my _machete_, I cut two stakes of a good thickness, which Idrove into the ground close to one another, about three yards from theprecipice. While Sumichrast with a club was consolidating my work, I cuta stick about a foot long, to the middle of which I firmly tied thelasso. I then placed it crosswise behind the stakes. I considered thatwhen we had let ourselves down to the spot occupied by l'Encuerado, asharp undulatory shake given to the lasso would be sufficient todisengage the stick. When our preparations were finished, we let downthe basket to the man who carried it. Then Sumichrast, who was theheaviest among us, slid down the cord to the tree which grew in soconvenient a position. The stakes scarcely yielded at all to his weight. Continuing his descent, my friend soon joined the Indian. 

Lucien's impatience was extreme; he was enchanted with this aerialroute. 

"Now it's your turn, " said I, as soon as I had drawn up the lasso. 

"Are you going to tie me?" he asked in a disappointed tone. 

"How did you suppose you would descend?"

"By holding on to the lasso, like l'Encuerado and M. Sumichrast, "answered the boy. 

"The grasp of your hands is not firm enough; you must not think of it; Ihave no wish to risk your neck. "

"Oh! dear father! do let me try. "

"Certainly not; for if your trial failed, you would not be in a positionto try again. "

[Illustration: "Then Sumichrast . . . Slid down the cord to the tree. "]

Not without some slight vexation Lucien was tied to the lasso, whileGringalet, astonished, barked round us. 

"Patience! patience!" I exclaimed to the dog; "it will be your turnnext, and then, perhaps, you will not seem so pleased. "

I let the lasso slowly down, and the boy was soon safely lodged amongthe branches of the tree. With care equal to mine, and with still firmerknots, l'Encuerado tied the cord afresh. Then, leaning over theprecipice, I heard Sumichrast's voice ordering the Indian to let theimprovised cable slowly down. Seeing that the port was safely reached, and relieved of a great care, I began tying Gringalet, who hadn't leftoff howling since his young master disappeared. In spite of his terror, I launched the dog into the air; he struggled, howled, and nearly evadedl'Encuerado's friendly grasp; the latter, as he again let him down, tried to explain the inutility of his struggles, and the danger ofbreaking loose. At length, having for the last time examined the stakesand the cross-piece, I also descended. I then shook the lasso, and atonce succeeded in disengaging it. 

I saw below me Sumichrast and Lucien, seated on a narrow projection, which led by a rocky declivity down to the foot of the mountain. Soon Ijoined them, followed by the Indian. We had fixed the cross-bar betweentwo stout branches, and for a long time, without loosening the stick, Ishook the cord. At last, tired out, and about to leave it, the piece ofwood suddenly gave way, and nearly fell on me. 

Walking now became very laborious, and it was occasionally difficult topreserve our balance in passing over rocks, sometimes smooth, at othersvery uneven. Our path lay between perfect hedges of orchids, of whichbeautiful race Mexico possesses hundreds of species; we stopped atnearly every step to admire some of these curiously shaped, brilliantlycolored, but often scentless flowers. L'Encuerado pointed out manyplants of the lynx flower, called by the Indians the _serpent-flower_, the fine petals of which are dotted with yellow spots, and marbled withpink, violet, and white. Farther on, another flower, the tiger-lily, reminded us, by its color, of the animal from which it takes its name. Plucking as he went along, Lucien became possessor of such a bouquet asthe richest gardens could not furnish. Of course he wanted to know thenames of all, but he was obliged to be content with learning that, withthe exception of the vanilla-plant, the brilliant legion of orchidsfurnishes nothing utilized in the arts or industrial skill. 

We had just reached the foot of the mountain, when an immense mass ofstones obliged us to turn aside. I took the lead, and an involuntaryslip brought me unexpectedly to a cave. My companions came running up inanswer to my call; I took three or four steps into the entrance, andimmediately made up my mind, from its thorough adaptability, to shelterthere for the night. While I, helped by Lucien, was collecting somewood, l'Encuerado cleared the ground, and Sumichrast cut down two orthree shrubs which impeded the view. I then ordered the Indian to lightthe fire, which would assist us to reconnoitre the entrance to thecavern; which being done, it was necessary for us to go in search ofgame for our dinner. 

Looking from the plain, I could well judge of the feat we hadaccomplished in our descent. Up to the level of the cave there wereshrubs and brush-wood. Higher up, orchids, with their bright flowers andopal-green leaves; higher still rose a perpendicular and almost smoothrampart, utterly impassable except through the fissure which hadafforded us egress. Sumichrast guided us through the thicket, where thefrangipanni-plants, covered with their sweet-scented flowers, predominated, announcing our approach into the _Terre-Chaude_, and of acompletely altered nature of vegetation. Soon an immense mahogany-tree(_Swietenia mahogoni_), with its thick boughs and dark-green foliage, rose before us; a little farther on a fallen ceiba had crushed four orfive shrubs. The ceiba (_Eriodendron anfractuosum_) called _Pochotl_ bythe Indians, is one of the largest trees known; its fruit, of a pod-likeshape, contains a silky down, which possesses a singular property ofswelling in the sun. I was pointing out this peculiarity to Lucien, whena formidable buzzing noise met our ears; a whole flock of Herculesbeetles had flown out of a bush and struck heavily against the branchesof a tree. Lucien caught one and wanted to hold it down on the ground, but the insect got away from him and continued its flight. 

[Illustration: "I then ordered the Indian to light the fire. "]

"Oh!" cried the boy, "this beetle is stronger than I am!"

"It is not for nothing that it bears the name of _Hercules_, " repliedSumichrast, smiling; "as you have just found out, it is as remarkablefor its strength as for its size. It is a native of Brazil, and is onlyoccasionally found in Mexico. "

"Do they always travel in flocks like this?"

"No; the occurrence is so rare that I shall make a note of it. "

"I smell something like snuff, " said Lucien, sneezing. 

"It proceeds from the beetles, " said Sumichrast. 

And so powerful was this odor, that it caused Lucien several times tosneeze. This was another fact to note down. 

"Papa, do look at them hanging one on to another, and forming somethinglike an immense bunch of grapes. Do they bite with those powerful jaws?"

"They are horns which you mistake for jaws; but their arrangement quiteexcuses your error. Look; the upper part of their body is black andpolished, and their wing-sheaths are a greenish gray, irregularly dottedwith dark spots. "

"Here is one which has no horns. "

"It is a female. "

We were examining with some curiosity all the ways of the insect colony, which was scarcely disturbed by our presence, when Gringalet, who hadalso taken to sneezing, suddenly set up the most plaintive howl. L'Encuerado had placed on the dog's back three or four beetles, whichhad buried their claws in his skin. The Indian, surprised at the resultof his experiment, hurried to relieve the poor animal, which was rollingon the ground; at last he succeeded in getting hold of him, but he hadmuch difficulty in freeing him from his vindictive assailants. Onebeetle, indeed, seized hold of the hand of the mischievous wag, whosegrimaces much amused us; as fast as he disengaged one of the insect'sclaws, the creature--which possessed six--soon found a chance to clingon with others. Annoyed at having to strive with such a paltry enemy, l'Encuerado at last tore the beetle roughly away, but the blood flowedfrom his bronze-colored skin. Always too ready for revenge, hethreatened to exterminate the whole colony of beetles; but, smiling athis ill-humor, I forbade his perpetrating such a useless massacre. 

"They are nice gentlemen!" he cried; "because they had just heardthemselves called _Hercules_, they think they are strong enough to bitethe hands of every person they meet! Stupid fools, with noses longerthan their bodies, who fly away when Gringalet barks at them! Bite them!Bite them!" cried he, setting the dog at them. 

But the latter, with his ears drooped and his tail between his legs, refused to obey, and, from this day forward I remarked that the leastbuzzing from any insect was sufficient to render him uneasy. 

Sumichrast, who had caught one of these large beetles, placed a stoneupon it which any one would have thought sufficient to have crushed it;but, to Lucien's great admiration, the six-legged Hercules walked offwith its burden, almost without an effort. Ere long the beetles one byone resumed their flight, and came buzzing around us, so it becamereally necessary to beat a retreat, lest we should have our eyes put outby their immense horns; Gringalet followed our example. Lucien sat downso as to laugh at his ease, for l'Encuerado, instead of running away, drew his bill-hook, assuming a threatening attitude to his enemies, and, like one of Homer's heroes, defied them to come near him. At last thewhole band of beetles united and suspended themselves to the branch of aceiba, a tree for which the Hercules beetle shows a marked preference. 

But we had in the mean time quite forgotten our dinners, so we set offhunting in various directions. I skirted the edge of the forests, accompanied by Sumichrast and Lucien. We had walked for an hour withoutfinding any thing, when four partridges, with ash-colored breasts, tawnywings, and tufted heads, rose about fifty paces from us, and settleddown a little farther on. Having arrived within easy gunshot, I told myson to fire when I did, and two of them (which _savants_ call the Soninipartridge) fell dead on the ground. These pretty birds are rarely metwith in Mexico, at least in the part where we were. 

I now returned towards the bivouac, taking a path through the forest. 

"Oh papa, here's a great sponge!" cried Lucien, suddenly. 

On our right there was a shapeless, porous, yellowish mass, rising threeor four feet above the ground. I saw at once that it was the nest of atermite, or ant, which the Mexicans call _comejen_. 

"It is a nest of white ants, " I said to my son; "they are insects of theneuropteral order, and allied to the _libellula_. "

"But where are they?"

"You will soon see, " I answered. 

So, kicking the spongy mass, immediately out came a multitude ofinsects, which swarmed about in every direction, as if to ascertain thecause of the disturbance. Lucien wanted to examine them closer. 

"Take care, " I called out to him; "the termites you see are nothing butthe inoffensive workers; the soldier ants will soon make theirappearance, and if they bite you they will certainly draw blood. "

Lucien looked at me, thinking I was joking. 

"I am speaking quite seriously, " I hastened to add; "termites, like beesand ants, the latter of which they much resemble at first sight, live incommunities, and build nests which are often larger than the one you arelooking at. This nest, skillfully divided into cells, contains a king, aqueen, workmen, and soldiers. The workmen are the clever architects, whose duty it is to build, maintain, and, in case of need, increase thecurious edifice which you took for a sponge. The only duty of thesoldiers is fighting against enemies that attempt to disturb the peaceof the colony. "

"But I see thousands of holes; does each termite have a separatechamber?"

"Not exactly; there is first a chamber for the queen, which is thelargest; then comes the nursery, afterwards a large compartment, inwhich the working ants place the eggs which the queen lays night andday. "

"How I should like to see all this!"

Being convinced that practical illustration is better than the clearestexplanation, I again struck the nest. The workmen, who were beginningto disappear, soon came out again to examine the spot threatened, and ina moment after the surface of the nest appeared to be swarming. I thenkept making a noise at one point of the nest only, when the soldier antssoon rushed out, easily recognizable by their enormous heads; finally, Iremoved a small portion of the outside of the construction, and broughtto light a multitude of white specks. These were the eggs, which theworkmen hurried to carry farther into the nest. After having caused allthis disturbance, I led Lucien away, for the ground was covered withsoldier ants, and I was too well aware of the violence of their stingsto willingly expose him to them. 

"But I haven't seen the queen, " cried my young companion. 

"She keeps quite in the centre of the building, immured in a cell whichshe seldom or never leaves, for her bulk is equal to that of twenty orthirty working ants. Sumichrast, who has been a great observer of theseinsects, asserts that the queen lays about eighty thousand eggs a day. As soon as they are hatched, the young termites are carried off intolarge compartments, where they are fed until they are old enough to takea part in the labor. During the rainy season, a certain number of whiteants are born with four wings, which enables them to proceed to adistance and found other colonies; but these wings are only temporary, and I have often been puzzled by finding immense quantities of them. "

"How do the termites manage to build their dwellings?"

"The one we have just examined appears to be formed of earth, kneaded upwith a kind of gum which the insect secretes. In the subterraneanpassages of a termite's nest there are arches which seem to be composedof morsels of wood stuck together by some sticky matter. These insectsare omnivorous, and, like ants, take care to lay up abundant stores ofprovisions. "

We were now commencing to climb the mountain, and, raising my eyesaloft, I was glad to see our two companions already seated by the fire. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XV. 

OUR SUBSTITUTES FOR LAMPS. --FIRST GLANCE INTO THE CAVE. --THEELATERIDES. --THE GOTHIC HALL. --STALAGMITES AND STALACTITES. --ACHICHIQUIMEC CEMETERY. --THE "TREE OF ST. IGNATIUS. "--THE OPOSSUM AND ITSLITTLE ONES. 

Lucien had run on in front with the two partridges; when I arrived atthe bivouac, I found an enormous mole roasting on the fire, andSumichrast catching with the utmost care the fat which ran from it. 

"How did you kill this animal?" I asked, addressing my companions; "Idid not hear you fire. "

"L'Encuerado knocked it down with the butt-end of his gun, and just atthe same moment your two shots brought us back to the cave. "

"Why are you collecting this fat? Is it a prophet of some new dish inpreparation?"

"No; but I intend inspecting the cave, and with this grease we shall beable to make a lamp, which will be more than useful. "

I approved of Sumichrast's idea, and, as he had discovered a colony ofmoles, proposed to go after dinner and catch some of them, so as toincrease our supply of light. Besides, I hoped that in this walk weshould meet with some kind of resinous tree, the branches of which mightserve as torches. Lucien could hardly restrain his joy, and wished topenetrate into the cave without further delay. He scarcely gave himselftime enough to eat, and scolded l'Encuerado for being so slow, which wasan indirect mode of asking us to hurry. 

Having again reached the forest, we searched for a pine or a fir, thebranches of which, being full of resin, would have enabled us to showmore mercy to the moles. Hearing us mention these two trees, Lucienwanted to know the difference between them. 

"They both belong to the Coniferous family, " replied Sumichrast; "butfirs generally grow upon lofty mountains far inland, while pines aboundon sea-coasts, the shifting, sandy soil of which is, after a time, consolidated and fertilized by them. "

Sumichrast's explanation still left much wanting; I saw this fromLucien's numerous questions; but without seeing a specimen of each treeit would have been difficult to better describe their peculiarcharacteristics. 

After a long and unsuccessful walk, we halted in front of a guaiac-treewith dark-green foliage, a higher tree than any we had before met with. This fine member of the Rutacean family was covered with pale-blueflowers. It produces a gum used especially by the English in thepreparation of tooth-powder; but the hardness of its wood, which wouldhave blunted our weapons, induced me to pass it by. A little farther on, l'Encuerado spied out a _liquid-amber_ tree, valuable on account of thebalsam that oozes from its branches when cut, which is burned by theIndians as incense. He climbed the knotty trunk of this colossus, andcut off some branches, which Sumichrast split into small pieces, after Ihad cleared off their leaves. Our work was interrupted by the approachof night, and we made our way to our bivouac, each loaded with a heavyfagot. 

As soon as we arrived, Lucien had the satisfaction of trying one of ourflambeaux. The branch crackled when lighted, and, as we entered thecavern, five or six bats flew out. I led Lucien by the hand, and verysoon he was the only one who could stand upright. Afterwards we entereda vast chamber with a dome-shaped roof, which became lower the fartherwe penetrated; this was rather a disappointment, as we had fancied therewas something more to be seen than a mere cave. A heap of reddish earthin one corner attracted Sumichrast's attention, who examined it to seeif he could discover some fossil bones. Standing all together, we musthave formed, by the smoky light of our odoriferous torches, rather afantastic-looking group. More than half an hour elapsed withoutdiscovering any results from our digging. L'Encuerado, who had tried tocrawl in between the roof and the ground, suddenly raised anexclamation; he had, in fact, all but fallen into a deep pit. In aninstant I was laid down flat on my stomach and crawling towards theIndian; Lucien, owing to his size, was able to creep on his hands andfeet, and consequently soon got in front of me. We could soon see downinto the bottom of the hole; the burning fragments of our torches fellupon a heap of stones at a depth of twelve or fifteen feet. L'Encueradothrew one of the torches into the chasm, and the vague glimmer showed usa yawning opening on the left. Delighted with this discovery, we nowbeat a retreat, deferring a more thorough exploration until the nextday. 

The night was dark, and during our absence the fire had almost gone out. Just below us, a tree, the outline of which we could scarcelydistinguish, seemed covered with animated sparks. Lucien opened his eyesvery widely indeed, not being in the least able to understand thisphenomenon, which was produced by thousands of _elaterides_, insectswhich have on each side of the thorax a yellowish spot which becomesluminous in the dark. 

Nothing could be more curious than to see innumerable glittering spotsrising, falling, and crossing one another with extraordinary rapidity;one might have fancied it a tree bearing flowers of fire waving about inthe breeze. L'Encuerado came up with a specimen, which lighted up hishand with a greenish glimmer. Lucien took possession of it, and the twoluminous spots looked to him like two enormous eyes. Suddenly the insectgave a kind of shock to the boy's fingers, who looked at us full ofsurprise. 

"The name of the insect, " said Sumichrast, "is derived from a Greek wordwhich signifies elastic; and it has just shown you that it well deservesthe family name which has been given to it. Examine for an instant howit is shaped; the angles of its corslet form sharp points; added tothis, its sternum also terminates in a point which the insect can insertat will into the cavity which exists under its second pair of legs. Thewomen in the _Terre-Chaude_, by passing a pin through this natural ring, can fix this brilliant insect as an ornament in their hair, withoutinjuring it in the least. Now, then, place it on its back. "

"It's pretending to be dead!" cried Lucien. 

"Yes; it does that, like many other kinds of insects, in order todeceive an enemy about to seize it. "

"Oh, how it jumps!" exclaimed Lucien. 

"That is its only means of getting on its feet again, when it has hadthe misfortune of falling on its back. Look; it pushes the point whichterminates its chest against the edge of the hole situated lower down;then it raises its head, piff! paff! you might fancy it was a springgoing off. It didn't succeed the first time, but now it is up on itslegs, and now you've lost it, for it has flown off!"

Lucien's first impulse was to dart off in pursuit of it, as the route ithad taken was shown by its luminous appendages. But it was long past ourusual hour for repose, so we all sheltered ourselves as well as wecould, and dreamt of our next day's adventures. 

Day-break found us all up, and already comforted with a cup of coffee. We had been troubled during the night by mosquitoes; but they were onlythe harbingers of the legions which are before us. Lucien, full ofimpatience, could not take his eyes off the entrance of the cave, andfollowed all our movements with anxiety. A hollow stone whichl'Encuerado had found was filled with fat, a morsel of linen served as awick, and our make-shift lamp soon burned and gave forth light. 

As the branches which were to serve as torches were being distributed, Inoticed that a yellow and transparent drop had formed at the end ofeach. This gum, by its odor and color, has given to the tree whichproduces it the name of _liquid amber_. At last, followed by mycompanions, I entered the cave; l'Encuerado placed the lamp on the edgeof the pit, and the bats which had been disturbed the evening beforeagain commenced their whirling flight. 

Preceded by Sumichrast, I ventured down to the bottom of the pit. Anarrow passage led from it into a vast chamber, the more distant partsof which we could not discern on account of the darkness. While myfriend was exploring, I returned for Lucien. The lamp, thanks to theIndian's skill, was safely let down without extinguishing the light;lastly l'Encuerado himself made his appearance. Passing along the narrowpassage, I soon perceived Sumichrast, who looked like some fantasticapparition as he shook his torch over his head, endeavoring to seethrough the darkness which enveloped us. 

The lamp being set down at the entrance of the passage, each of us tooka lighted torch, and advanced at a slow pace. Sumichrast and the Indianskirted the wall to the left, while I walked along the wall to theright. Our smoky torches gave but an imperfect light, and we couldscarcely see beyond three yards in front of us. A little farther on, theground was strewn with fallen stones; before venturing on this dangerousground, I cast a glance towards my companions; they were not in sight. Igave them a call--a formidable clamor resounded through the chamber, andLucien crept close to me. 

"It is the echo returning to our ears Sumichrast's answer, " I hastenedto tell him. "They are in another chamber; you call them now!"

The boy, agitated, raised his voice. Immediately the dark vaults seemedto repeat his words; and the sound increased, as it moved away, as if athousand persons, placed at intervals, were repeating some watch-word. Asonorous "Hiou! hiou!" prevailed over the uproar, and the face ofl'Encuerado appeared on our right before the echo of the call had diedaway. 

"Come and see a beautiful church!" cried the Indian. "A church made ofdiamonds, Chanito!"

We moved towards the entrance by an inclined passage, down the slope ofwhich we followed l'Encuerado. The distance between the walls graduallyincreased, and soon we found ourselves in a vast hall studded withstalactites; in it Sumichrast arranged the lighted torches. 

[Illustration: "The wildest dreams could not picture a stranger . . . Style of architecture. "]

The Indian was not far wrong; we might easily have fancied ourselves ina Gothic cathedral. The wildest dreams could not picture a stranger, more original, or more fantastic style of architecture. Never did anypainter of fairy scenes imagine any effects more splendid. Hundreds ofcolumns hung down from the roof and reached the ground below. It was areally wonderful assemblage of pointed arches, lace-work, branchery, andgigantic flowers. Here and there were statues drawn by nature's hand. Lucien particularly remarked a woman covered with a long veil, andstretching out over our heads an arm which a sculptor's chisel couldscarcely have rendered more life-like. There were also shapeless mouths, monstrous heads, and animals, appearing as if they had been petrified, in menacing attitudes. The illusion was rendered more or less completeaccording to the play of the light; and many a strange shape was butcaught sight of for a moment, to as rapidly vanish. 

While we were moving about the cave, some long needles, hanging from theroof, touched our heads. 

"They are stalactites, " said I to the astonished Lucien. "Therain-water, filtering through the mountain above, dissolves thecalcareous matter it meets with, and produces, when it evaporates, thebeautiful concretions you are now looking at. "

"Here is a needle coming up from the ground. "

"That is a stalagmite; it increases upward, and not downward like thestalactites, through which, besides, a tube passes. Look up at thatbeautiful needle, with a drop of water glittering at the end of it. Thatliquid pearl, which has already deposited on the stalactite a thin layerof lime, will fall down on the stalagmite, the top of which is rounded. After a time the two needles will join, adding another column to thegrotto, which, in the course of time, will become filled up with them. "

"Then do stones proceed from water?" asked Lucien, with a thoughtfulair. 

"To a certain extent, " I replied; "water holds in solution calcareousmatter, and, as soon as the liquid evaporates, stone is formed. "

"According to this, " interposed l'Encuerado, "the pebbles ought to meltin the rivers. "

"So they do; but they do not melt so easily as some things--sugar, forinstance. Don't you recollect that in the Rio Blanco the water isalmost like milk, and that it leaves a whitish coating on the branches, and even on the leaves with which it comes in contact. "

"That's true enough, " replied the Indian, who had often wondered at thepetrifactions with which the banks of the White River abound. 

"But the water that falls down here is quite clear, " urged Lucien, holding his torch close to a natural basin. 

"But, nevertheless, it contains salts of lime in solution, the same, infact, as all water, particularly that from wells. And it is for thisreason that housekeepers will not use it; for it will not dissolve soap, and hardens the vegetables that are cooked in it. "

"Now do _you_ understand this?" asked l'Encuerado, addressing Lucien; "Idon't. "

"Yes, I do, a little. "

"Well, you are very fortunate! The other day stones were said to comefrom the sun or moon, and fly about all covered with fire; now, they areformed by water. Perhaps M. Sumichrast will tell us to-morrow that theycome from the wind. "

The Indian then walked away, quite indignant; we followed him, smilingat his anger, becoming more and more enchanted by the spectacle whichmet our eyes. Unfortunately, our torches gave a very insufficient light, and the thick smoke rapidly blackened the arches above us. A greatpolished stone now impeded our passage, and compelled us to crawl. Itook the lead, and, passing through a kind of narrow corridor, made myway into a small chamber. I raised a sudden exclamation; for five or sixskulls, symmetrically arranged, seemed to glare at me through theirempty orbits. 

"Oh father!" cried Lucien, "are we in a cemetery?"

[Illustration: "Five or six skulls . . . Seemed to glare at me throughtheir empty orbits. "]

"Yes, my boy; I think this must be a Chichimec burial-place. Thisnation, which preceded the Toltecs and Aztecs in Mexico, were in thehabit of depositing their dead in caverns. "

Sumichrast examined a skull which he had picked up; its white andperfect teeth showed that it must have belonged to a man who died young. A few paces farther on five or six more skulls lay on the surface of theground; they were inclosed in by fine stalactites, and appeared as ifthey were grinning at us through the bars of a dungeon. 

For more than a thousand years, perhaps, these skulls had reposed in theniches which had evidently been hollowed out on purpose for them. Thesoil of the grotto had apparently risen at a subsequent period. Whatrevelations as to the ancient history of Mexico might be contained inthis cave! Without much difficulty, l'Encuerado broke through the uppercalcareous layer, and brought to light some loamy earth, out of which heprocured a small cup of baked clay. I then began digging; my fingerssoon touched some hard object; it was a small stone statuette. I hadscarcely loosened my discovery from the earth, before Lucien alsoplunged his arm into the hole and brought out a little fancifully-shapedtortoise, the tail of which had been used as a whistle. Enticed on bythese successes, we knelt down so as to break through a wider extent ofthe calcareous stratum; but our torches began to burn palely, and theclose chamber, now filled with a thick smoke, was no longer bearable. Sumichrast complained of humming in his ears, and I also feltuncomfortable; so, much against our inclination, I gave the signal ofdeparture. The lamp was dying out, and was filling the outer chamberwith a nasty smell, which gave the finishing-stroke to our unpleasantfeelings. L'Encuerado and Lucien were the first to leave the cave; fromit I afterwards emerged with Sumichrast, both being quite blinded, whenwe reached the open air, by the overpowering rays of the sun. 

Shouts of laughter resounded on all sides; we had the appearance ofnegroes, or rather of chimney-sweeps. It was no use thinking aboutwashing ourselves; the contents of our gourds were too precious; andbesides, there would not have been water sufficient. As there was waterin the cave, l'Encuerado offered to go in and fetch some; but the smokewhich escaped from the hole made me feel anxious, so, for the time, Iopposed the Indian's re-descending into it. 

We were surprised at the time our exploration had lasted; it had takenno less than four hours. Although we had made up our minds to continueour journey on coming out of the cavern, the fatigue we felt, added to adesire to have another look at the subterranean wonders, decided us toput off our departure until the next day. 

After resting an hour, we all set off to seek our dinner. I examinedwith much curiosity the neighborhood of our encampment. The presence ofskulls in the cave proved that some Indian tribe had once inhabited thislocality; but as the Chichimec (or Chichiquimec, in the chapter-heading)Indians constructed nothing but huts, time had, doubtless, obliteratedall trace of their former presence. 

I can hardly describe the pleasure I felt in again viewing the woods, the verdure, the insects, the flowers, and enjoying the light of thesun. The interior of a cave, certainly, has the effect of producingmelancholy, attributable, no doubt, to the silence and darkness; for thebeautiful hall, radiant with stalactites, was but little likely to causesadness. The effect on Lucien's mind was of a serious character, and heseemed never to be weary of asking questions. 

"These natural hollows, " said Sumichrast, "often occur in gypsummountains, but still more frequently in volcanic or calcareous masses. Some, which are as old as the world itself, date from the earliestupheavals of the surface of the globe, when the fused matter whichcomposes the centre of the earth broke through the scarcelysolidified crust, and, rushing upward, formed the mountain chains we nowsee. "

[Illustration: Crater of Popocatepetl. ]

"Then the centre of the earth has been once in a liquid state?"

"It is so still, as is shown by volcanoes; but the period of greatcatastrophes is past. The molten matter solidified on the surface, as itbecame cool, and then water made its appearance, and transformed andrendered habitable the thin crust on which we live, the thickness ofwhich is so inconsiderable when compared with the bulk of the globe. "

"What is this molten matter composed of which is burning under ourfeet?"

"The same substances which we see around us--granite, porphyry, andbasalts, which are called _igneous_ or _Vulcanian rocks_, as contrastedwith the _Neptunean rocks_, such as gypsum or lime, clay and sandstone, the agglomeration of which is attributed to water. The science whichdeals with these subjects is called _geology_, a study with which, someday, you will be delighted. "

"Then all Vulcanian rocks can be melted?"

"Yes, if they were subject to as great a heat as that existing in thecentre of the earth, which reaches an intensity at which the imaginationrecoils. But to return to the subject of caves. Some have been producedby the dissolving action of water. Thus, at some future date, the springwhich we saw gushing out from the fallen mountain might dry up or alterits direction, and leave for the curiosity of future travellers thesight of chambers full of stalactites such as we have inspected. "

Our geological chat was interrupted by an exclamation from l'Encuerado, who had just discovered a tree which the Mexicans call "the Tree of St. Ignatius. " Its fruit is of a brown color, with a woody husk, somethinglike small melons, which, as they hang on the tree, strike against oneanother with a sharp sound. L'Encuerado informed Lucien that this fruitis in the habit of bursting suddenly with a loud explosion, and that theflat beans which they contain are much used as medicine. 

[Illustration]

Sumichrast led the way through the forest, where we were sheltered underthe tall trees. After a somewhat long ramble, during which we met withnothing but magpies, I requested l'Encuerado to guide us back to ourbivouac. All of a sudden my friend enjoined silence; an opossum, followed by five young ones, was coming near us on our left. The animalindolently approached a tree of middling size, which it climbed, aidedby its prehensile tail. Its progeny crowded busily round the foot of thetree, uttering plaintive cries. The opossum then came down again, andscarcely had it put foot to the ground before its disconsolate familyrushed pell-mell into the maternal pouch. Thus loaded, the animalclimbed the tree more slowly, and sat herself quietly on one of thelowest branches. We could see nothing but the pointed muzzles and blackeyes of the little ones, which seemed as if they were looking down fromthe top of a balcony. One of them at last ventured to emerge, andcrawled along the branches; soon the whole litter followed this example. Sumichrast advised Lucien to clap his hands, and I ordered l'Encueradonot to fire at the poor animal. Frightened at the noise, the little oneshastened to their mother, who set up her thin ears and showed us adouble row of white teeth. One of the stupid little things, in its hasteto reach its asylum, fell down from the tree. In a moment the opossumhad jumped down close to it, and turned towards us her threatening jaws;then, finding all her treasure complete, she disappeared among thebrush-wood. 

"Why didn't you let me shoot at the _tlacuache_?" asked l'Encuerado. 

"What is the good of killing a poor creature which would be of no use tous?"

"You know well enough, " replied the Indian, "that this 'poor beast'finds its way into granaries; that it devours the corn and also fowls, without reckoning the damage made by them in other ways. "

"Yes, that's true enough; but this animal, at least, is innocent of allthese misdeeds, for it lives too far from any town. "

This scene had quite delighted Lucien. I acquainted him with the factthat opossums, kangaroos, and several other animals of the kind, thefemales of which are provided with a pouch to shelter the young ones, are, for this reason, called _marsupials_. 

The opossum is very common in Mexico. Its long, pointed, anddeeply-divided muzzle is armed with fifty-two formidable teeth, althoughthe animal feeds principally on eggs, insects, and birds. The young ofthose species which are unprovided with the pouch, as soon as they areable to walk, climb up on their mother's back and intertwine their tailswith hers, which she carries over her back for this purpose. Thisinstinct is perhaps more curious than that which leads them to dart intotheir mother's protecting pouch. 

Time was getting on; it now became important for us to reach the spotwhere the moles were; and l'Encuerado predicted good sport there withoutfiring off his gun. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XVI. 

THE EARTH-NUTS. --A WILD-CAT'S FEAST. --ANOTHER EXPLORING EXPEDITION TOTHE CAVE. --THE BATS. --EXCAVATIONS IN A TOMB. 

While making our way through the brush-wood, in the hopes of putting upsome game of a more appetizing nature than the _opossum_, our feetbecame entangled in the fibrous and creeping branches of the earth-nut, called by the Indians _tlalcacahuatl_. Although the stems were stillcovered with white flowers, l'Encuerado dug up the soil in which thefruit had buried itself in order to complete its ripening, and therefound a quantity. The _tlalcacahuatl_, which is classed by botanists inthe leguminous order, produces yellowish, wrinkled pods, each containingthree or four kernels, which are eaten after being roasted in theirshells; their taste is something like that of a chestnut. It is nowcultivated to some extent in Europe, and the nut produces an oil whichdoes not readily turn rancid, and is used in Spain in the manufacture ofsoap. 

Lucien and l'Encuerado were the most pleased at the discovery, for theywere very fond of these earth-nuts, which, on the days of religionsfestivals, are sold by heaps in front of the Mexican churches. 

"It is the day but one after Ascension-day, " cried the Indian; "wecertainly can not hear Mass, but, at all events, we can try to pleaseGod by eating pea-nuts in His honor. "

The sun was beginning to sink, and hunger dictated to us that we shouldhasten our steps. I therefore led my companions towards the bivouac. Wehad but just started again, when five or six hares came giddily runningalmost between our legs. Lucien was skillful enough to shoot one, andSumichrast knocked down another. L'Encuerado loaded with the game, weproceeded to our hut. 

Being now reassured as to our bill-of-fare for dinner by this unexpectedwindfall, I kept on walking towards the entrance of a glade, the soil ofwhich, being quite burrowed, betrayed the presence of the moles. Each ofus lay down under the shade of a tree. Chance led me under a robinia oriron-wood tree, the trunk of which will defy the best-tempered axe. Infront of me stood a _tepehuage_, a kind of mahogany-tree, withdark-colored foliage, which will become, some day, the object ofconsiderable trade between Europe and Mexico; the beauty of this redwood, veined with black, renders it highly fitted for the manufacture offurniture. 

Gringalet had followed the Indian. I advised Lucien to keep silence, soas to observe the operations of the moles, who would be certain to comeout of their burrows as soon as the sun set. In fact, first one, thentwo, and at last twenty made their appearance; and in less than aquarter of an hour I counted more than a hundred engaged in throwing upthe ground, playing about, and fighting, all the time uttering shrillcries. Lucien was much amused as he watched them squatting down on theirhinder parts, making grimaces, and gnawing the roots and bark. 

A single gunshot would have enabled us to double our store of grease, but it would have been a waste of our powder and shot. In fear ofyielding to the temptation, I was thinking of giving the signal fordeparture, when it became evident that the animals whose games wereenlivening us were actuated by a sudden panic. All the moles, whichwere solemnly seated, nodded to and fro their enormous heads, showingtheir long yellow incisors, and seemed to sniff the air. Suddenly theyall rushed towards their burrows. A _jaquarete_ had scattered them byspringing in among them. The new-comer, a species of wild-cat, with acoat of the darkest black, left two or three victims dead upon theground, and then set up a plaintive mewing. 

This call soon attracted two young ones, which darted at once on thefirst mole they came to. Each of them seized hold of one side of theirprey, spitting just like cats, and trying to tear it with theirformidable claws. The mother was obliged to put a stop to the quarrel byan energetic display of authority, allotting a separate victim to eachof her ferocious offspring; then she lay down and yawned several times, while the young ones were tearing to pieces the bodies of their prey. When they had eaten all they required, the mother gluttonously devouredall that was left, without ceasing to watch a third mole, round whichthe two young carnivora were prowling. Whenever they came near her prey, she gave a growl; and they seemed to know the meaning of this maternalinjunction, for they crouched down to the ground, and drew back, lowering their heads, as if from fear. As soon as her repast wasfinished, the _jaquarete_ caught up in her mouth the untouched mole, andmade off without noticing us. 

"What do you think of these little ogres?" asked Sumichrast, addressingLucien. 

"How very pretty they are, with their black shiny coats! They are justlike big cats. "

"That's very likely, for cats are their first cousins. "

"Do _jaquaretes_ ever attack men?"

"No; but, still, if we had tried to touch her young ones, the motherwould perhaps have flown at us. "

"To eat us?" asked Lucien, opening his eyes very widely. 

"She would bite and tear us with her claws, or otherwise injure us. Butseriously, as a general rule, wild beasts, or _carnivora_, as the_savants_ call them, are always formidable, and, whatever may be theirsize, it is unsafe to provoke them. If one of us, unarmed, had to fighthand to hand with a wild-cat, it is probable that he would receive moreinjury from the contest than the animal. "

Night was now falling fast; but, fortunately, our fire guided us to ourresting-place. When we were yet some distance off, we were amused atseeing the Indian prowling round, or gravely sitting down face to facewith the dog, with whom, no doubt, he was chatting. Suddenly the dogjumped up, pricking up his ears, and ran out to meet us, whilel'Encuerado raised over his head a burning branch to throw a light uponour path. 

At day-break we were awakened by the voice of the Indian. The gloomyappearance of the weather threatened us with one of those fine rainswhich appear to last forever. Sumichrast went off to cut some longswitches covered with leaves, one of which light boughs he handed toeach of us before he would allow us to enter the cave. 

"What are these switches for?" asked Lucien, in surprise. 

"M. Sumichrast wants to catch some bats, Chanito. "

"Does he intend to eat them?"

"Oh no; though I have no doubt they would be very good. "

"Their flesh is delicious, " interposed Sumichrast; "the wing especiallyis a tidbit which I can highly recommend. "

But my friend could not keep a serious face when he saw Lucien'sfrightened look; so his joke partly failed in its effect. 

L'Encuerado entered the cave on tiptoe. The rest of us, taking up aposition at the entrance, made every preparation to enrich ourcollections. Two bats soon fell, beaten down by our switches. Lucienexamined them without much repugnance, but the shape of their muzzlessurprised him even more than their wings. One of those which he examinedhad lips cloven in the middle and doubled back; the other had a flatnose and still more hideous visage, and possessed, instead of ears, twoenormous holes, at the bottom of which were situate its black andbrilliant eyes. Added to this, the membrane of its wings was so thin andtransparent that it seemed as if it must tear with the slightestexertion. The poor little animal gradually recovered itself, and showedits delicate and sharp teeth. Sumichrast took it up, and hung it by theclaw at the end of its forearm, in order to show Lucien the way in whichthese creatures cling to the rough places which form their usualresting-place; but it suddenly let go its hold, and disappeared in thedark cave open in front of us. 

The bat, apparently an imperfectly-formed creature, was for a long timea puzzle to naturalists. Fontaine makes it say:

 "I am a bird; look at my wings! I am a mouse; the mice forever!"

_Savants_, also, used to describe it as a bird provided with hairinstead of feathers, and with teeth instead of a bill. GeoffroySaint-Hilaire was the first to teach that the wings of the bat arenothing but the fingers of the animal joined together by a thinmembrane. I had thus another opportunity of proving to Lucien the wisdomof our Creator, and the simplicity of the means He employs in producingthe infinite variety of beings which people the universe. 

"This is the first time, " cried l'Encuerado, indignantly, "that I haveheard the devil made use of as a means of bestowing praise upon AlmightyGod. "

"Bats have no connection with your devil, " said Sumichrast; "they arenothing but animals, rather more curiously constructed than others. "

"Oh! M. Sumichrast, then you can never have examined their wings? TheSatan that St. Michael is treading under his feet in the beautifulpicture in the convent at Orizava has wings just like the bats. And asto these caverns, every one knows that they are the residences of badspirits. "

"Let us make our way at once into it, then, " said Lucien, who in no wayshared his friend's superstition. 

As on the day before, we descended to its bottom, and, skirting theleft-hand wall, entered a wide chamber, in which water fell in acontinual shower. We were inconvenienced by the icy drops which ran downour clothes, and I therefore advised Sumichrast to turn back; butinstead of doing so, he pushed on into a winding passage. Before longthe roof became so low that Lucien alone could stand upright. I broughtup the rear, watching my guides, who kept on ascending or descending, according to the inequalities of the ground. Sometimes it was necessaryto halt, to climb over a rock, or cross a pool of water. At last I sawmy companions again resume their upright position; we were now in ahall, so vast that our torches were quite powerless to throw a light upto the roof. 

Surrounded by hundreds of bats, flitting round the torches like immensemoths, and yet always avoiding them, we had ample opportunity forobserving the precision of their flight. At length, stunned by theirshrill cries, I again proposed to beat a retreat, but Sumichrastinsisted upon continuing our search. He urged that the bats, who wentout every night into the open air to seek their food, would not belikely to follow the narrow winding path we had followed; there musttherefore be some other outlet. My friend and l'Encuerado set off insearch of it; but I did not dare to venture farther with my boy overthe damp and sticky ground. Our two scouts, however, climbed someenormous heaps of rock many feet above us; and we suddenly lost sightthem. 

[Illustration: "Our two scouts climbed some enormous heaps of rocks. "]

The bats still swarmed round us, pushing their familiarity so far as tobrush us with their wings. My prudence rather vexed Lucien, who hadbecome very intrepid. After about five minutes, Sumichrast's voicesummoned us, and we bent our steps towards the heap of rocks which hadbeen scaled by our companions. 

The ascent was difficult, and, in spite of remonstrances, I would notlet go Lucien's hand. Fortunately I did not do so, for suddenly heslipped, and, while trying to save him, I dropped my torch; and there wewere, perched up on this pile of _débris_, in utter darkness. 

"Don't move!" I cried; "you know that we are surrounded by precipices. "

"How dark it is! One might fancy that the darkness was solid, andweighed down upon our eyes. "

"The fact is, that we are in a darkness in which the light does notpenetrate, even by reflection, and, like you, I could readily fancy thatI was blindfolded. Call l'Encuerado. "

The vaulted roof above us re-echoed the name of the Indian, whoimmediately replied. 

The bats now ceased their flight; but when the light reappeared theuproar began afresh. Lucien related our accident to his friend, who, inhis hurry to come to our rescue, fell several times over the rocks. Atlast he reached us, and, lighting our torches, he guided us over thedangerous ground. When we cleared the fallen rocks, we entered a chamberstudded with stalactites, on which Sumichrast's torches threw a light, and the walls of the cave glittered as if they had been covered withcrystal stars. From the ground, from the roof, and from the walls, clusters of variegated rays were reflected in every direction, as ifemanating from ten thousand diamonds. The beauty of this scene was quitesufficient to dazzle far less enthusiastic spectators than we were. Butit was not long before a repulsive, oppressive, thick smoke compelled usto move on, and a few paces through a passage brought us into the centreof an immense hall, lighted by an aperture into the open air. 

I joyfully hailed the blue sky, and then closely examining the ground wewere treading on, noticed that it was covered with fragments of bakedclay. Removing this, it was not long before we came to a layer of dampcharcoal. L'Encuerado went outside and cut some branches, which, whenpointed at the end, helped us in our digging. After two hours of hardwork, we succeeded in laying bare more than a square yard of black andgreasy mould. 

Thoroughly exhausted, in spite of my curiosity being excited, I wascompelled to follow Sumichrast out of the cave in order to breathe thefresh air. A fine rain was falling, and I was so devoted to the idea ofmy excavation in the cave, that I was very glad to use the state of theweather as a pretext for putting off our departure to the next day. 

My companions had hardly recovered their breath before I summoned themback to work. L'Encuerado, as the hole became larger, was quite excited, and soon fancied that he could perceive gold. The fact is, that everyIndian believes that all caves and grottoes contain unheard-oftreasures, either the work of nature or buried by man, and that thesetreasures are guarded by some malicious genius, who allows the searchersjust to catch a glimpse of the hidden riches, but never permits theirbeing carried away. 

"Don't laugh, Tatita, " said the Indian to me, with a mysterious air;"especially just at this moment. "

[Illustration: "The animal continued to retreat before him, and led himto the mouth of a cave. "]

He then went on to tell us that a friend of his, who was tending hisflocks on the mountain, ran into the thickets in pursuit of one ofhis goats. The animal continued to retreat before him, and led him tothe mouth of a cave. The Indian, hesitating at first, at length took offall his clothes, so as to be sure that he carried no iron about him, andentered the cavern. But he soon drew back, startled by the sight offifty broken boxes overflowing with coined money. Instead of profitingby this windfall, and taking possession of the fortune by appropriatingsome of it which had fallen out on the ground, the stupid fellowreturned to his village as quick as he could, and communicated hisdiscovery to his friends. That very evening five of them set out, provided with sacks, intending to convey the treasure to a safe place. They camped in the vicinity of the cave, and the night wore away indrinking to the health of the good genius. As soon as day appeared, theyfollowed their guide. First they ascended, and then they descended; butthey never succeeded in finding the spot where all this enormous wealthlay. 

"He was not able to find his way back to the spot?" said Lucien, muchinterested by the story. 

"No, Chanito; the cave had become invisible. "

"Invisible! but why?"

"Because they had some iron about them!"

"But you have just told us that he stripped off all his clothes?"interposed Sumichrast. 

"Ah! but, unfortunately, he kept his flint and steel in his hand. "

The afflicted tone in which l'Encuerado pronounced this last phrase drewa smile even from Lucien. 

Again we entered the cavern, and picking over with care the layer ofcharcoal which had already been laid bare, I discovered a small vase ofburnt clay, full of ashes. On one of the faces of the urn was depicted agrinning visage, and in the interior was found one of the so-calledpilgrim's scallop-shells with the skull of a bird. Accustomed as I was, by long apprenticeship, to such discoveries, I had no doubt whatever butthat a skeleton would soon present itself, and a skull was soondiscovered; then the vertebræ and tibiæ of a human being. Next we foundsome obsidian arrow-heads; and, last of all, some small broken clayfigures. Unfortunately, it was no use thinking about carrying away allthese relics; so I made up my mind to give up further labor. Directlyafter dinner we busied ourselves in putting our baggage in order, so asto be ready to start the next morning at day-break. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XVII. 

A FORCED MARCH. --WILD-DUCKS. --VEGETABLE SOAP. --AN UNWELCOME GUEST. 

It rained all night, and I awoke about seven o'clock in the morningshivering with cold. It was Ascension-day, and l'Encuerado, beforemaking up the fire, chanted a canticle, and, after the manner of RomanCatholics, piously crossed himself. We were soon comforted with somecoffee, and then, each of us resuming his burden, started off to reachthe foot of the mountain. Before plunging into the forest, I could nothelp looking back with regret at the cave we had scarcely explored, andin which so many archæological curiosities remained buried. The sun onlyshowed itself at intervals through grayish-looking clouds drivenviolently along by the east wind. The state of the earth, moistened byrain which had lasted twenty-four hours, rendered our progression verydifficult, for we were traversing a ferruginous soil. Such wretchedwalking put the finishing-stroke to our ill-humor by smearing andsoiling our clothes; for my part, I inwardly anathematized travelling ingeneral, more especially in rainy weather. 

Just as we were emerging from this miserable ravine, Gringalet, who hadno doubt scented something, suddenly rolled himself upon the ground, frantically. We had proceeded some distance before he rejoined us, covered with a coating of red clay, which gave him as singular an aspectas can well be imagined. The dog ran up and down, bounded about andbarked, as if he was making it a business to amuse us. Nor were hisefforts without success. We now reached a small plain, in which the sunflooded us with its warm rays. This had the effect of putting us intobetter humor; for our clothes dried, and with the warmth the feelings ofdiscomfort to which we had been a prey departed. 

We were again entering among trees, when l'Encuerado suddenly stopped. 

"What is that moving down below there?" he said. 

"Some deer, " I replied, after looking at them through my glass. 

Each of us hurried to hide behind a bush, in hopes that the beautifulanimals would come within gunshot. Several times l'Encuerado expressed awish to move round to the other side of the plain; but I opposed hisidea, as the distance was too great. We spent more than an hour inwatching the flock browsing, playing about, and licking themselves; butnot one of them ventured in our direction. Tired with this inaction, Sumichrast emerged from his hiding-place, and the deer scampered off. Upon the whole, however, this delay had not been altogether useless;for, thanks to the heat of the sun, the ground had become moretraversable, and my friend actually hummed a tune as he took the lead. 

The time when we ought to have settled our bivouac had long passed, yetwe were still on the road. The path we were treading was flat andunpromising, and the water from the cave, with which we had filled ourgourds, was so unpleasant in taste that we longed to find a spring. Being unable to get a clear view of the horizon, I directed l'Encueradoto climb to the summit of a lofty tree. The Indian ascended to itstopmost branch, and, having surveyed the prospect in every direction, came down far from pleased at having failed to discern what he desired. Fatigue, however, now compelled us to halt. 

Our hut was soon constructed, the fire lighted, and the stew-pot filledwith water and rice. Not one of us felt inspired with sufficient courageto induce him to go reconnoitring. An hour after sunset we were allsleeping side by side; l'Encuerado had quite forgotten his earth-nuts, and even dropped off to sleep without having been able to finish thechant which he commenced. 

I was wakened up by the cries of the tanagers--a beautiful species ofbird which lives in flocks. Lucien, like all the rest of us, complainedof feeling rather stiff in the joints, resulting, no doubt, from ourlong journey the day before. On the morrow our little party started withrather a hobbling gait; the presence of the birds seemed to tell us thatwe were near some stream. Our limbs began gradually to lose theirnumbness; we were now descending an almost imperceptible slope, and thevegetation assumed a more tropical aspect. As we passed along, I noticedseveral pepper-plants; and next we came to bushes, round which myriadsof _cardinal_ birds were flying. Guided by these beautiful red-plumagedcreatures, we suddenly found ourselves on the banks of a stream, runningnoiselessly over a bed of white sand. 

With as little delay as possible, a fire gave forth its exhilaratingflame. Butterflies, dragon-flies, and birds fluttered round theflowering shrubs. There was a perfect concert of buzzing and twittering, and a gentle breeze agitated the foliage and cooled the air. Nothingseemed wanting for our comfort but game for our dinner. Fortunately, Providence rarely does things by halves. We had scarcely sat down totake breath, when a flock of wild-ducks settled near us. They were atonce saluted by a platoon fire, and four victims strewed the ground andwater with their white, brown, and blue feathers. 

"These are the first aquatic birds we have met with, " said Sumichrast;"it will not be long now before we are among the marshes. "

"What birds are wild-ducks related to?" asked Lucien. 

"To swans and geese, Master Sunbeam, " replied my friend. "All theindividuals of this order, as their name--_palmipedes_, or web-footedbirds--indicates, have their toes united by a wide membrane. Ducks, manyspecies of which are found in Mexico, have a flat bill; and their shortlegs, placed so far behind, compel them to waddle in walking, althoughthey can swim with great facility. "

"How do they manage to perch on a tree with feet of that kind?"

"With the exception of the wood-duck, this family never perch; they passthe day in dabbling in the water, and sleep upon its surface, or amongthe reeds. "

"Then they must always be wet. "

[Illustration: "They were at once saluted by a platoon fire. "]

"Not so; nature has covered the feathers of web-footed birds with anoily substance, which renders their plumage quite water-proof. Ducks aregregarious, and migrate from one locality to another, according tothe seasons. They are so common on the lagoons which surround the cityof Mexico, that sportsmen scarcely will be troubled shooting them. "

While l'Encuerado was preparing dinner, I and my companions walked alongthe edge of the stream. Before long I discovered some water-cress--alucky discovery for travellers who are confined constantly to animalfood. Lucien examined the small white flowers, which have obtained forall its family the name of _Cruciferæ_; these vegetables contain anacrid and volatile oil, which gives them strong anti-scorbuticqualities. The cabbage (_Brassica oleracea_), turnip (_B. Napus_), radish (_Raphanus sativus_), and mustard (_Sinapis alba_), are of thecrucifera order. To this list we must also add the horse-radish, thecolza, the seed of which produces an oil well adapted for lightingpurposes; the _crysimum_, or hedge-mustard, a popular remedy in Francefor coughs; the shepherd's purse, which the Mexicans use as a decoctionfor washing wounds; and the _Lepidium piscidium_, employed by thenatives of Oceanica for intoxicating fish, so as to catch them moreeasily. 

"You quite forget the _cochlearia_, or scurvy-grass, so useful tosailors as a remedy for scurvy?" said Sumichrast. 

"You are right; but I think I've said enough about the _Cruciferæ_ forMaster Sunbeam to remember. "

A few paces farther on, while we were looking for insects under theleaves of a shrub, Lucien drew back in surprise at seeing it coveredwith the pretty little creatures called tree-frogs (_Hyla viridis_). Instead of flying towards the water, these reptiles made for the woods. Sumichrast explained to the young naturalist that tree-frogs have stickydisks on their feet, and by the aid of this mechanism they could moveabout on leaves and even on smooth surfaces. 

"In Europe, " he added, "the peasants shut them up in bottles half fullof water, and assert that the animal predicts good or bad weather byeither coming up to the top or keeping under the water. The tree-frog, like all its fellows, buries itself in the mud during winter, andremains torpid. This lethargy, which in glacial climates has the effectof preserving it from hunger, must in Mexico have some other cause, forin the latter country it can find food all the year round. The skin ofthe tree-frog secretes a poisonous matter. "

"Come here and look at an apple-tree!" cried Lucien, suddenly. 

I hastened to the spot, and found a shrub about thirteen or fourteenfeet high, covered with berries of a yellowish color, spotted with red. I recognized what is called in the Antilles the soap-tree. Thisdiscovery came just in the nick of time, and Sumichrast helped us ingathering some of the useful fruit which would assist us to give ourclothes a thorough wash. Lucien tasted the little apples, which were astransparent as artificial fruit made of pure wax; but he did not liketheir astringent flavor, and threw them away with every expression ofdisgust. 

A quarter of an hour later, we were all kneeling on the banks of thestream and trying who could perform the greatest amount of washing, thefruit of the soap-tree affording us a plentiful supply of lather. In the_Terre-Tempérée_, a root called _amoli_ is a substitute for soap; in the_Terre-Chaude_ a bulb named _amolito_ is used for the same purpose;lastly, in the Mistec province of Oajaca, the poor find a natural soapin the bark of the _Quillaja saponaria_, a tree belonging to the rosetribe. Even in Europe, a vegetable soap is also found--the soap-wort--alittle plant allied to the pinks, and which adorns with its unpretendingflowers the edges of ditches, and is employed by housewives for cleaningsilk stuffs and reviving their faded colors. 

Quite refreshed with our wash, we stretched ourselves close to the campfire, looking forward to our meal of roast ducks dressed with cresses, rice, and seasoned with allspice. On taking the first mouthful, I made agrimace which was imitated by Sumichrast. The rice had an unbearablearomatic taste. L'Encuerado regarded us with a triumphant look. 

"What on earth have you put in the saucepan?" I cried, angrily. 

"Don't you think it is nice, Tatita?"

"It's perfectly filthy; you've poisoned us!" But I soon recognized thesmell of a kind of coriander with which the Indians occasionallysaturate their food. Sumichrast, like me, had not got beyond the firstmouthful; but Lucien, who shared to some extent l'Encuerado's weaknessfor the _culantro_, was having quite a feast. Our bill of fare was thusreduced to a single dish, and I left the broiled duck to my twocompanions and confined myself to the roast. With an artlessness thatapproached the sublime, the Indian, thinking that we should prefer thefresh plant to the cooked, the odor of which had been somewhat softeneddown by the operation, presented us with several stalks. On the whole, however, he was not altogether to blame, for we often ate with pleasurehis national style of cookery, and he had full right to be surprised atour repugnance to their favorite _bon bouche_. 

Gringalet just tasted the rice, then retired to roll on the twigs ofcoriander which were lying on the ground, a proceeding which did notmuch improve his toilet. 

The sun was setting, and hundreds of birds were assembling around us. Yellow, blue, green, or red wings were cleaving the air in alldirections. 

There were finches of a violet-black, with orange-colored breasts andheads, some blue or golden-throated grossbeaks, and birds adorned witha variety of coloring, which the Mexicans call "primroses, " while anumber of mockingbirds were warbling airs worthy of the nightingale. Thesun, lost amidst the golden clouds, bathed the trees and bushes with asoft light. Gradually all became silent and nothing was heard but themurmur of the stream, while birds of prey soared over our heads on theirway to the mountains. The eastern sky was now wrapped in shade and thestars twinkled in the dark heavens, while on every bush animated sparksappeared to flit about. 

I had been asleep more than two hours, when I was suddenly awakened byGringalet barking. I jumped up simultaneously with my companions, whowere also alarmed by a rustling among the dry leaves. Silence was soonrestored, and I fancied, although the dog continued to growl, that itwas a false alarm; so I was about to lie down again, when Sumichrast'shand touched me on the shoulder. An enormous serpent was gliding overthe ground beside us. 

I at once recognized the black sugar-cane snake, which is onlyformidable on account of its size; the planters are in the habit ofattracting it to their fields, to keep them clear of mischievousrodents. L'Encuerado noiselessly left the hut. The snake raised itshead, and slowly contracting its rings, and throwing round a brightglance, turned towards us. Sumichrast was just taking aim, when we heardthe report of a gun, and our hut was almost in a moment afterwardscrushed in by the repeated and furious struggles of the wounded reptile. 

There was one moment of utter confusion; I disengaged myself as soon asI could, at the same time protecting the stupefied Lucien, and drawinghim away. When I turned round, Sumichrast was approaching l'Encuerado, who, cutlass in hand, was hacking at the serpent, to render it furtherincapable of mischief. 

[Illustration: "I at once recognized the black sugar-cane snake. "]

At last the fragments of the black snake, blindly tumbling about, becamelost in the thicket, and all was again quiet. 

"Well, " said Sumichrast, "if, instead of being frightened, we had onlykept quiet, the snake would not have troubled us, and we should stillhave had our house to shelter us. "

"All's well that ends well, " I replied, smiling. L'Encuerado again madeup the fire; Lucien complimented the dog on his watchfulness, whothereupon licked his face. This undue familiarity drew upon him alecture on politeness, the end of which I was too sleepy to hear. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XVIII. 

WILD DAHLIAS. --A PAINFUL MISADVENTURE. --THE EUPHORBIA PLANTS. --THEWASHER RACCOON. --SURPRISED BY A TORRENT. --L'ENCUERADO TURNEDHAT-MAKER. --NEW METHOD FOR DRIVING OUT EVIL SPIRITS. --THE ANHINGA. 

The next day, which was the nineteenth since our departure from Orizava, we examined and compared our compasses, and the course of our journeywas changed. Hitherto we had proceeded in a north-easterly direction, skirting the provinces of Puebla and Vera Cruz, but still withoutleaving the Cordilleras, the numerous valleys and forests of which arestill unexplored. According to my calculations, and also those ofSumichrast, we were then abreast with the province of Mexico, and weagreed to move westward, as if going towards its capital. 

"Why are we not to continue to keep straight on?" asked Lucien. 

"Because our journey must have some limit, " I replied. "Up to thepresent time we have only traversed what is called the _Terre-Tempérée_;we shall now soon reach the _Terre-Froide_, and in three or four days weshall again encounter habitations. "

"Shall we see any people there?"

"I hope so; don't you like the idea of it?"

"I don't object to it; but it will seem so very strange to look again athouses and men. "

"Oh dear!" cried Sumichrast; "you have become a perfect little savage. "

"Travelling about on foot is so amusing, that I should be glad if thejourney lasted a very long time--that is, if I had a chance now and thenof kissing mamma. "

"Poor Sunbeam!" said Sumichrast; "I can't help thinking of next yearwhen you are at school. You will then often think of your present life. "

"Oh papa, if you go out for another excursion during the holidays, Ihope you will take me with you, for you see I know how to walk. "

"Before we think about another journey, let us first finish the present. You seem to forget that the roughest part of our work is yet before us. "

"Do you mean crossing the _Terre-Froide_?"

"No; we shall only take a glimpse at that; but in the _Terre-Chaude_, wemay meet with many trials. "

"Bah!" said Lucien, kissing me; "the _Terre-Chaude_ is almost like home;I shall behave so well, that you will be able to tell mamma that I amquite a man. "

The sun was up when I gave the order for starting. Sumichrast went sofar as to suggest that, after such a disturbed night, it would be betterto spend another day in our charming retreat. 

"That's the way, " I answered, "in which effeminacy gets the better ofenergy, and cowardice of courage! Let us behave with more boldness, andnot be seduced into delaying our journey. "

My companion accepted the reproof, and without further delay our partywere _en route_. 

The stream pointed out to us the road we were to follow; along the edgeof it, sheltered by the bushes and enlivened by the birds which werefluttering about the banks, we shaped our course. Sumichrast showed ussome dahlias--the flower which would be so perfect if it only possesseda perfume. It is a perennial in Mexico, whence it has been imported intoEurope, and there grows to a height of about three feet, producing onlysingle flowers of a pale yellow color. By means of cultivation, varieties have been obtained with double flowers of a hundred differenttints, which are such ornaments in our gardens. Many a Mexican, whoimports dahlias at a great expense, has not the least idea that theplant is indigenous to his own soil. 

The roots of the dahlia, salted and boiled, are eaten by the Indians; itis a farinaceous food of a somewhat insipid taste. Certainly, the wildpotato is not much better; and who can tell whether cultivation, afterhaving enriched our gardens with its beautiful flowers, may not alsofurnish our tables with the bulbs of this plant rendered more succulentby horticulture. 

The course of the stream described numerous windings, and the desire ofkeeping on its margin frequently diverted us from our direct path; atlast it doubled round short to the left, and I bade farewell to it as ifto a friend, but, nevertheless, preserved a hope that its capriciouscourse would again bring it back in our path. 

Our road now commenced to ascend, sometimes crossing glades or groves. Suddenly a wide prairie opened out before us, and Sumichrast led theway through its tall reeds. After a quarter of an hour's walking, ourguide began to sneeze; Lucien followed his example, then camel'Encuerado's turn, and at last mine, and ultimately Gringalet's. Theserepeated salvos were received with shouts of laughter and "God blessyou, " often repeated; but a sharp tingling in the throat and eyes wassoon added to the sneezing. 

"I say, " cried my friend, "what does this joke mean?"

I looked round me more carefully, and discovered that we were surroundedwith euphorbia plants. 

But this mishap soon became a most serious affair, as the sneezingseemed as if it never would end, and our skin, eyes, and mouth commencedto burn as if in a fever. On this occasion we did not care even toconstruct a hut or light a fire, but were only too glad to lie down onthe bare cold ground, and seek in sleep some respite from oursufferings. 

Lucien, although very exhausted, endured his sufferings with suchcourage as made me proud of him. Uncomplaining, he soon went off tosleep; but to myself and companions such a luxury was refused. 

At length, almost desperate, I woke up the Indian. Our faces hadcontinued to swell, but the Mistec, regarding me with a stupefied look, simply grunted, and turned round to sleep again. However, it becameimportant that we should have a fire lit to enable us to prepare ourcoffee: as for eating, I looked upon it as an impossible matter. With aslowness and awkwardness which I could not overcome, I succeeded inlighting some dry branches, and at length in making the water boil. Ithen called my companions; they drank the refreshing beverage, withoutshowing any sign that they were conscious of the service I was renderingthem, for immediately afterwards they again went to sleep. 

It was at least ten o'clock by the sun when Lucien set us the example ofrising. Suffering as we were, it was no use to think of resuming ourjourney; so we made a virtue of necessity, and remained stationary untilwe felt more fit to endure fatigue. 

In the afternoon, Sumichrast and Lucien complained that they werefamished, which was an excellent symptom; so we took our guns, and, following in Indian file, ascended the course of the stream. 

We met with several pools of water, and then rocks strangely piled onone another, which had slipped down from the mountains above. I climbedthe bank, feeling disposed to be content with the first game whichpresented itself. However, I could see nothing but some toucans, far toowary to get within gunshot of. At last a squirrel presented itself--apoor pittance for five hungry stomachs. 

Sumichrast, who had gone on in front, suddenly stopped, and signed to usto be quiet. I glanced down the stream, and, near a hole full of water, I discovered an agouara, or washer raccoon, squatted down, dipping itspaws into the water, and rubbing them together energetically. L'Encuerado fired; it gave a bound and fell over. A lizard it was whichthe animal was washing before devouring--a peculiar and inexplicablehabit to which it owes its name. It had a gray coat, and a taperingmuzzle like that of an opossum. 

The agouara (_Procyon cancrivorus_) is frequently met with in Mexico. Itis closely allied to the Bear family, but is much smaller and moreactive, and is both carnivorous and insectivorous. It climbs trees withease, and, whenever it takes up its abode near any habitation, makesincessant raids upon poultry. It is tamed without difficulty, and willrun to meet its master, and seems to value his caresses; yet, like thesquirrel, which it resembles in its vivacity, it will suddenly bitethe hand of any one who feeds it. The flesh of this animal is white, tender, and savory. 

[Illustration: "Following in Indian file, we ascended the course of thestream. "]

L'Encuerado had dug up some dahlia roots, which he baked under theashes; but either this food was not exactly to our taste, or our stillirritated palates could not appreciate its delicacy. 

Night came on, and the sky was full of gray clouds violently driven bythe wind, although just round us the trees remained quite motionless. Itwas now too late to construct a hut, and we all stretched ourselves, without other covering than the canopy of heaven, on beds of dry moss. 

I woke up perished with cold; not a star appeared in the sky. Of theuneasiness produced by the euphorbia plants, nothing now remained but asense of weight in the head and a slight inflammation in the throat. Itried to go to sleep again, and fell at length into a kind of painfultorpor. I fancied I heard birds of prey crying, and a roaring noise inthe recesses of the forest. I got up with a view of driving away thisnightmare; but it was not a dream; the day was just breaking, and thebirds were welcoming its advent with many a clamorous note. A dull roar, like that of a gale of wind rattling through a forest, resounded louderand louder. I called Sumichrast and l'Encuerado; the latter at onceshouted out in horror--

"The torrent!"

Seizing Lucien, I carried him in my arms, while the Indian hastilygathered together all our travelling gear that lay scattered around. With powerful efforts I soon reached the top of the steep bank, followedby my companions and Gringalet. Lucien, suddenly disturbed in his sleep, scarcely had time to know what had happened. A furious uproar perfectlydeafened us, and a flood of yellowish water came rushing by; I saw oneof our coverings float off on its surface, and almost immediately, as ifimpelled by some superhuman force, the rocks came rolling down, dashingtogether under the force of the liquid avalanche. 

One minute more and it would have been all over with us, or, at the veryleast, we should have lost all our baggage and weapons, without whichour position must have been truly critical. As it was, our hats only hadsailed off in company with our covering; this loss much vexed us, fornone of us except l'Encuerado could walk with a bare head under the raysof a tropical sun. We should have been somewhat consoled by meeting witha palm-tree; but in the mean time, the Mistec, like all his countrymen, knew well how to meet such an emergency. So we covered our heads withthe leaves of the water-lily, often used by the Indian women for aparasol. 

We knew by experience the rapidity with which these mountain torrentswill overflow. If it had been a month later during the rainy period, ofcourse we should not have exposed ourselves to the peril of camping inthe bed of a stream; for we had remarked the evening before that the skywas obscured by gray clouds, and this ought to have put us on our guard. 

The furious waves continued to bear down with them, without any effort, immense masses of rock; but the body of the water, which did notincrease, showed us that it would ebb as rapidly as it had swollen. L'Encuerado was obliged to content himself with some muddy water formaking our coffee; but if we had pretended to preserve all theprejudices of civilized life, adieu to all our idea of traversingMexico. Besides this, we had a fresh disaster to grieve over; theremainder of the raccoon, which we had kept for our breakfast, had beenlost in company with our bag of rice. 

[Illustration: "The rocks came rolling down, dashing together under theforce of the liquid avalanche. "]

We started again, not much enlivened by this series of misfortunes, satisfied with nibbling for breakfast some morsels of _totopo_. Allour indisposition had now fortunately vanished, but we could not helpfeeling some degree of ill-will against both the euphorbias and thetorrent. A long march, during which we several times left and rejoinedthe course of the stream, brought us close to a hill at the foot ofwhich was a vast swamp. I gave the signal for halting. L'Encuerado inour march had gathered some reeds, and set to work to plait us hats. Leaving him with Lucien, Sumichrast and I went off in quest of game. Onour return from an unproductive ramble, I saw that my son was alreadywearing a funnel-shaped head covering. L'Encuerado offered me a similarone, which, as my friend remarked, gave me the look of a Chinese. Afterhaving rested a short time, I thought about again looking for game; butthe uproar of the torrent seemed to have frightened away all animallife. 

This second ramble quite exhausted us, without producing any prey but atanager, far too small to afford food for so many. L'Encuerado andLucien, both out in the midst of the swamp, perceived us approaching. The young gentleman came running towards us, holding his newly-made hatin his hand; but, in his haste, he forgot that the bed of a marsh isalmost always slippery, and he fell flat on his face among some aquaticplants. In one leap the Indian was close to him, and soon picked him up;but, instead of complaining of his fall, Lucien looked up at the Indianwith a troubled face. The fact was, his hat held some fish he had caughtwith his insect-net, and at least a third of them had disappeared fromhis disaster. 

"Oh dear! oh dear!" cried Sumichrast, who could not help smiling at thepiteous face of the young fisherman; "most decidedly, we are allunfortunate. "

This joke was taken in a serious light by l'Encuerado, who smote hisforehead as if suddenly struck by some idea. 

"It is the genius of the cave!" he cried. "Ah! the scoundrel, after allhe owes me, and the precautions I took!"

"What precautions?" asked Lucien, surprised. 

"I picked up seven white pebbles, and drew out a beautiful cross. "

"What did the cross matter to him?"

"Matter to him! why, Chanito, he knows well that we are Christians, andyet he bewitches us. Wait a bit, I'll match him. "

And rearing himself up against the trunk of a tree, standing on hishead, with his legs in the air, l'Encuerado kicked about with all thefrenzy of one possessed. He fell sometimes to the right, and sometimesto the left, but raised himself after every fall, and resumed hisclown-like attitude. Not one of us could keep a serious countenancewhile looking at his contortions. Lucien laughed till he cried, especially because the Indian, as if on purpose to render the scene morecomical, accompanied his gestures with invectives against the genius ofthe cave and invocations to St. Joseph. 

At last I told him to resume his natural position, and to keep quiet. 

"Do you really think that I have done it enough?" he asked, addressingme with imperturbable gravity. 

"Yes, " I replied; "from the way in which you have shaken him, I shouldsay he must have come out either through your mouth or ears. "

"Then it's your turn now, Chanito!"

Lucien, delighted at having to execute this feat of skill, tried severaltimes to keep his balance while standing on his head; but overcome bylaughter, he was not able, so he fell, to rear himself up again. Themore l'Encuerado cried out to him, urging him to persevere, the louderthe boy laughed. The brave Indian, who was under the full belief thatan evil spirit must necessarily abandon a body placed upside down, seized the legs of his young master and shook him violently as if he wasemptying a sack. Sumichrast at last put an end to this scene bydeclaring that he was sure the spirit must have taken flight. L'Encuerado then came up to my friend and proposed to assist him intothe same position as he had helped Lucien. 

[Illustration: "L'Encuerado . . . Set to work to plait us hats. "]

"That's enough of it, " I cried as soon as laughing allowed me to speak;"M. Sumichrast and I have other means of expelling evil spirits. "

L'Encuerado looked at me with wonder, more convinced than ever that mypower far exceeded that of the sorcerers of his own country. 

We were now close to our fire. Lucien was gravely repeating the wordswhich l'Encuerado had addressed to the demon, when Gringalet commencedhowling. L'Encuerado had seized the poor animal by his hind legs, andwas violently shaking him, head downward. 

"It's all for your good, " said the Indian to the dog. "Can't youunderstand that the evil spirit which you have in your body will becertain to make you commit some folly?"

Lucien rushed to the assistance of his faithful friend, and at lastinduced the Mistec to let him go. Not the least convinced ofl'Encuerado's kind intentions towards him, Gringalet seemed to bearmalice towards the Indian, and for three days was very shy of comingnear him. 

After this scene the preparations for dinner occupied our attention. Ifour guns had been more successful, we should have had fat to fry ourfish in. While we were deploring our ill-luck, I noticed a flock ofbirds like ducks flying high up in the air; they made a wide circle andsettled down on the top of a tree. L'Encuerado fired at them, and onefell. It was an _anhinga_, one of the most singular specimens ofweb-footed birds that can be found anywhere. Represent to yourself anenormous duck with a neck like a swan, a bill straight, tapering, andlonger than the head, webbed feet, and widely spreading andwell-feathered wings, and then know the _anhinga_. It dives and flieswith equal facility, can swim under the water and perch upon trees, thehighest of which it chooses for building its nest upon. 

The flesh of the anhinga is not valuable, as it is hard and tough. Perhaps a good appetite rendered me indulgent, but I found the flavorvery much like that of duck. The fat of this bird, carefully saved, wasused for frying our fish. The latter, I must confess, did not seem to usso nice as the dark-colored meat of the anhinga. If it tasted ratherfishy, the fish themselves tasted muddy; on the whole, however, ourbill-of-fare was a tolerable one. 

When night-fall came on, the trees stood out in bold relief against thetransparent sky, and l'Encuerado, delighted at thinking that he was nowunbewitched, gratified us with one of his unpublished canticles, whichmaterially helped to send us to sleep. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XIX. 

THE BLACK IGUANA. --ANOTHER COUNTRY. --REMINISCENCES OF CHILDHOOD. --THEMIRAGE. --A FIRE IN THE PLAIN. 

By ten o'clock in the morning we had crossed some rising ground, andwere passing through a narrow gorge carpeted with ferns. Lucien headedthe party, closely followed by l'Encuerado; and led us on to a kind ofrocky staircase, down which, in the rainy season, water doubtlesslyflowed. This steep path compelled us to halt several times to recoverour breath. The branches of the bushes formed an archway over our heads, and their blossoms surrounded us with their rich perfume. 

At length a rise in the ground impeded our path, and the heat commencedto inconvenience us. The refraction of light, especially, affected oureyes, and our feet raised perfect clouds of dust. Lucien, who had becomequite an enduring walker, throughout kept in front, and often gainedground while we were stopping to take breath. Just as we reached theridge of the hill, I saw the boy, who was a few yards in advance, suddenly cock his gun and fire. I ran to him, but he disappeared downthe slope, crying out to me that he had shot a dragon!

I soon came up, and found the young sportsman standing in front of amagnificent black iguana--_Cyclura acanthura_--which does, in fact, somewhat resemble the supposed appearance of the fabulous animaldescribed by the ancients. Its skin shone with a silvery-gray metallicglitter, more particularly on the dorsal ridge. L'Encuerado joined uswhen it was dying, when, rubbing his hands, he cried:

"It is a _guachi-chevé_; what a splendid supper we shall have!"

"You have seen them before, then?"

"It is an animal which belongs to my country, Chanito; it abounds in theplains which slope down to the Pacific Ocean. They are beasts which canlive without eating; they are sometimes kept for two months with theirfeet tied and their mouth sewn up. "

"The mouth sewn up?"

"Yes, Chanito, so as to prevent them getting lean. When I was your age, during the time of Lent, I used to go iguana hunting with my brothers. We sought them in the shallow marshes which are inundated by waterduring flood-time. There, in hollow trunks of trees, or in holes made inthe mud, we found the black iguanas, and pulled them out by theirtails. "

"Then they don't bite?"

"Oh yes, they do, and scratch also; so we took care to catch hold ofthem by the neck, and tie both their feet and their jaws. Sometimes weused to pursue them up the trees; but then, for they don't mind fallingtwenty or thirty feet, they frequently escaped. "

[Illustration: "I used to go iguana hunting with my brothers. "]

Sumichrast completed this information by telling the young naturalistthat the iguana, which is allied to the lizards, is generally a yard inlength; and that the female lays thirty to forty eggs, which are muchesteemed by the native epicures; also that the green species--_Iguanarhinolopha_--has a flat, thin tail, and swims much better than the blackvariety, the tail of which, being covered with spines, is not welladapted for progression through water. Thus, meeting with a green iguanaalmost always indicates the vicinity of a stream; but the blackspecies is frequently found away from rivers. 

Lucien wanted at first to carry his game, but he was overtaxed by itsweight and gave it up to l'Encuerado. Another hill was now before us, and the ground became at every step more and more barren, and on whichthere was little or nothing growing but a few shrubs with a bluishflower. When we had reached the summit of this second ridge, a boundlessplain lay spread out before our gaze; we were now on the central plateauof Mexico, in the _Terre-Froide_, eight thousand seven hundred feetabove the level of the sea. 

What a change there was! The white soil was so light and dry that it wascarried away by the breeze, and produced nothing but a few leaflesstrees. There were also some thorny bushes smothered in sand, and, alittle farther on, some gigantic _cacti_ astonished us with theirstrange shapes. The sun, reflected by the red glaring surface, muchinterfered with our sight, so we directed our steps to the right, wherethere appeared to be a greater amount of shade. 

"Oh, what a wretched country!" cried Lucien. "Can we be still inMexico?"

"Yes, " replied I; "but we are now on the great plateau, almost on alevel with the city of Mexico and Puebla. "

"Are we going to cross that great plain? I can see neither birds norbeasts on it; in fact, one might almost fancy the very trees werethirsty. "

"You are right, for it does not often rain here. Nevertheless, thisground, which at first sight appears so barren, is very fruitful whencultivated. It produces wheat, barley, potatoes, apples, pears, cherries, grapes, peaches, and, in short, all the European fruits, whichcan only grow in a temperate zone. On this plateau, too, grows the_Maguey agave_, _Mexicana_, a wonderful plant, which is as useful tothe Mexicans as the cocoa-nut tree is to the inhabitants of the lands towhich it is indigenous. "

L'Encuerado had stooped down under a pepper-tree, and his glancewandered over the scene. The fact was, that we were now about the sameheight as that at which his own country is situated, and he might easilyfancy himself near his native village. 

"What are you thinking of?" said I, tapping him on the shoulder. 

"Oh Tatita! why did you disturb me? Here I feel myself almost as learnedas you, and I could tell you all the names of those flowers which turntheir bright faces towards me as if they knew me! It seems as if I hadoften walked on that plain, and as if I had often seen these trees, bushes, and plants-- You are laughing at me, Chanito; it's all verywell, but you'll see! Tatita will set me right if I tell you any thingthat is not true. Look here, for instance, " continued the Indian, risingup and plucking a plant with slender and whitish stems; "this is the_alfilerillo_, which mothers give their children to cure them of sorethroats. Such shrubs are lost here; for their fruit would be useful inmy country. Here too, Chanito, is a _mizquitl_, a thorny tree on whichwe shall be certain to find some gum. Indeed, here are three morsels ofit. You may safely suck it; it will not seem very nice at first, but youwill soon like it. Oh Tatita! you have really brought me back into myown country. "

"We are certainly on the same line, and it is not to be wondered at thatyou find here the same kind of vegetation as in that in which you spentyour childhood. "

The Indian was silent, and seemed musing. Sumichrast and I observed himwith some curiosity, and Lucien, surprised at his emotion, looked at himanxiously. 

"Here is the 'angel-plant, '" resumed l'Encuerado, suddenly. "How pleasedmy mother used to be when I found one of them. "

"What are its good properties?" I asked. 

"Oh! it produces beautiful dreams, which seem to lift you to heaven. "

The Indian again became pensive, sometimes casting a glance over thevast prospect, and sometimes pulling up pieces of the turf which grew athis feet. 

"It only needs a palm-tree to make the landscape quite complete, " saidhe, thoughtfully. 

In a minute or so he advanced towards the bushes, and, kneeling down, plucked a tuft of yellow marigold, which are called in this country "thedead man's flower. " Afterwards I heard him sobbing. 

"Oh Chéma! what is the matter?" cried Lucien, running up to his friend. 

The Indian raised himself and took the boy in his arms. 

"Once I had a mother, brothers, and a country, " he said, sadly; "andthis flower reminds me that all those are now sleeping in the grave. "

"Then you don't love me?" replied Lucien, embracing him. 

The only answer l'Encuerado made was pressing the boy so tightly againsthis breast as to draw from him a slight cry. 

This scene quite affected us, and I and my friend, side by side, walkedback to the hut deeply sunk in thought. 

Hunger soon brought with it more commonplace ideas. The white and juicyflesh of the iguana was quite a feast for us all. Our meal we sat over alonger time than usual; for in conversation we entered upon the subjectof our native countries, and the theme appeared inexhaustible. Ireminded my friend that, only a few days before, he had shown as muchemotion as the Indian on seeing two butterflies which he fanciedbelonged to a Swiss species; and I brought forward these feelings tooppose the intention he so often expressed of taking up his abode in themidst of the wilderness, so as to live and die in solitude. 

On the great plateau the sun shines rather later than in the lowerregions. As the luminary approached the earth, the sky was lighted upwith a purple color, and I saw standing out on our left in bold reliefthe jagged outline of the Cordilleras of l'Encuerado's country. Thewhitish ground gradually assumed a transparent appearance; our eyesdeceived us to such an extent that we fancied we saw an immense tract ofwater, above which the trees, appearing as if they were submerged, raised their green heads. 

The moon rose, and, far from destroying the mirage, it rendered theillusion still more striking. I resolved to descend from the hill inorder to convince Lucien how much our vision was deceived. 

"There is no mistake about the plain being dry, " said he, as we returnedto the bivouac, "and yet one might fancy that, as we were mounting thehill, the water was rising behind us. "

"The layers of the air, " I replied, "are unequally warmed, and theirrefraction, which causes the rays of light to deviate in their course, reverses the objects which cover the plain, and, on the other hand, causes them to appear more elevated than they really are. "

"So we see water in a place where in reality there is none. "

"You don't take the sky into account, which is reflected on the groundbeneath us as in a mirror. But the air is becoming cooler, and you willsoon see the phenomenon slowly disappear, as if some invisible hand waspushing the mist back towards the horizon. "

[Illustration: "The moon rose, . . . And rendered the illusion morestriking. "]

While we were looking down over the plateau, and watching the miragegradually fade away, a distant light suddenly shone out. Loudexclamations hailed the sight of this unknown bivouac; and, fixing oureyes on it, we all formed endless conjectures. We had not expected tomeet with any habitation before the next day; and the cry of "land!" onboard ship after a long voyage could not have made a stronger impressionthan the sight of this fire. The air was cool; still l'Encuerado was notallowed to kindle a light, which would perhaps have betrayed us to foes. It was now twenty days since we had met with a human being, and ourfirst feeling, after the instinctive joy at the idea of seeing ourfellow-creatures, was, alas! one of distrust. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XX. 

THE MORNING AND NIGHT DEW. --THE TERRE-FROIDE. --WATER-SPOUTS ANDWHIRLWINDS. --THE BARBARY FIG-TREES. --THE CACTUS-PLANTS. --THEVIZNAGA. --OUR HOPES DISAPPOINTED. --DON BENITO COYOTEPEC. 

The sun had not risen when we were up and ready to start. We shiveredwith cold, for on the great plateau which we had now reached, to whichthe inhabitants of the lower regions give the name of _Terre-Froide_, the mornings are frosty. The profound darkness was succeeded by a dimtwilight, afterwards by a fog, which penetrated our clothing as much asrain. 

"There has been no shower, " cried Lucien, "and yet we are all wet. "

"It is the dew, Chanito; it is almost as abundant as the night dews inthe _Terre-Chaude_. "

"Are not morning and night dews the same thing?"

"Not exactly, " I replied; "the morning dew is generally of a beneficialnature; but the Mexicans dread the other, which falls after sunset, andis said to be productive of fever. "

"But from whence does all this moisture come?"

"From the air, which always contains a certain quantity, some of whichit deposits on the ground, on stones and plants, as they become cool byradiation. "

Just at this moment our attention was attracted by the first ray of thesun, which, piercing through a light cloud, shot across the plain like abright arrow. The horizon, which had been visible, was now obscured by amist, which gradually rolled towards us. By degrees, however, it drewoff, and the trees a short distance away showed their rounded tops;while wide breaks opened here and there in the semi-transparent veil, and vanished as quickly as they had arisen. 

The telescope was passed from hand to hand, and each tried to discoverif there was a hut where the glimmering fire had been descried the nightbefore. The search was in vain; the reflection of the sun's rays quitedazzled us, and restricted the prospect; but, once in the right course, we might advance without fear of missing our point, and, according toour calculations, we would meet with habitations the next day or thefollowing. 

Gringalet's tongue hung out of his mouth; he found the journey over thenitrous soil very irksome, and the scanty leaves of the mimosa failed toscreen him from the sun. What a contrast it was to the pleasant regionswe had hitherto travelled through!

"Your country, after all, is not so nice a one as mine, " said Lucien, addressing l'Encuerado. 

"My real native country is much more beautiful than that we are now in, Chanito; in the first place, it has mountains and woods, and there itsometimes rains. "

"Shall we see any snow fall, now that we are in the _Terre-Froide_?"

"No, " replied Sumichrast, smiling; "you will not see any snow beforenext year, when you will be in France. The winters of the Mexican_Terre-Froide_ are like our European springs. It is, however, never warmenough to allow tropical fruit to ripen; but the _Terre-Froide_ onlydeserves its name when it is compared with the _Terre-Chaude_ and the_Terre-Tempérée_. "

"It seems to me to have been very badly named, for it is as hot now asthe day when the south wind blew so strongly. Gringalet looks as if hewas of my opinion, for he lolls his tongue out much more than usual. "

"Upon my word!" cried Sumichrast, "Master Sunbeam's remark shows that heis a first-class observer. You are as right as you can be, " continuedhe, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. "In the plains of the_Terre-Froide_ the heat is much more uncomfortable than in the_Terre-Chaude_ itself, where an insensible perspiration always mitigatesthe oppressive rays of the sun. A few days' walking in this atmospherewill do more in bronzing our skins than all the rest of the journey. "

My companion suddenly stopped short, and pointed to the horizon with hisfinger. 

"That's smoke, " cried Lucien. 

"No, Chanito, " replied l'Encuerado, "it is a _tornado_. "

Seeing a slender column of dust rising up to the clouds, I had, at firstsight, formed the same idea as my son. It was, in fact, nothing but awhirlwind of dust, which disappeared soon afterwards. 

"There is no wind, " observed Lucien; "how is it that the dust rises sohigh?"

[Illustration: "The sand rose rapidly, whirling round and round. "]

"There is every cause for wonder, " I replied, "for no _savant_ has yetexplained the real cause of this phenomenon. "

"If we happened to be caught in one of these whirlwinds would it carryus away?"

"No, Chanito, " replied the Indian, "it would be content with throwing usdown. "

"Then you've had some experience of them?"

"Yes; when I used to play with the children in our village, and a_tornado_ came within reach, we were always delighted to run throughit. "

About a hundred paces from us, although there was not the slightestbreeze in the air, the sand rose rapidly, whirling round and round. Therotation did not extend over a space of more than a few feet. There wasno apparent cause for it, and the phenomenon ceased as unaccountably asit commenced. 

Lucien was of course dying with anxiety to run through one of these_tornadoes_; but all that we saw were quite beyond reach. 

"I think, " said Sumichrast, addressing me, "when it is thoroughlystudied on the great plains of Mexico, we shall be able to explain thecause of this phenomenon. In a general point of view, these whirlwindsare nothing but water-spouts in miniature. "

"A water-spout!" asked Lucien; "what is that?"

"It is a natural phenomenon very like what you have just witnessed; butit is of a far more formidable character, for it destroys every thing itcomes in contact with!"

"Did you ever see one, papa?"

"Only once, at sea. The English steamer on which I had embarked had justleft the port of St. Thomas, in the West Indies, and we were stillcoasting the island; there was but a slight breeze blowing, the sky wasclear, and the water rippled with miniature waves, when, all of asudden, a large tract of the sea ahead of us was violently agitated. Anenormous column of water rapidly rose, and formed something like a darkand terrible-looking column. After about a quarter of an hour, thefearful phenomenon, which fortunately had kept on moving before us, remained stationary. The volume, incessantly swelling, assumed adark-blue shade, while the column of water, which appeared to feed acloud, was of a gray color. A dull roaring noise like that of distantthunder suddenly occurred. The column broke in the middle, and thegreater portion of the liquid fell into the sea with a tremendous shock;but the upper portion sprinkled us with a heavy shower. Half an hourafterwards we were sailing under a cloudless sky and over an unruffledocean. "

"And what would have happened if the water-spout had reached the ship?"

"We should most likely have been swamped. "

"How dreadfully frightened you must have been, Tatita!"

"Yes, of course; and I was not the only one who was in terror; for theofficers and sailors watched the course of the water-spout with evidentanxiety. "

Chatting in this way, we were now penetrating among Indianfig-trees--_Cactus opuntia_--commonly called prickly-pear trees. Theseplants, covered with yellow flowers, would, a month later, have beenhailed with shouts of joy, for each of their upper stems would then bearone of those juicy fruits of which the Creoles are so fond. Lucienstopped in front of two or three of these plants, the dimensions ofwhich were well calculated to surprise him. Sumichrast availed himselfof this inspection to tell him that the cactus, a word derived from theGreek, and meaning _thorny_, is a native of America, and that it growsspontaneously in dry and sandy soil. 

[Illustration: "Everywhere the cactus might be seen assuming twentydifferent shapes. "]

"You have forgotten to tell him, " added l'Encuerado, "that the tendershoots of the _tunero_, baked under the ashes, will furnish us thisevening with a most delicious dish. "

A little farther on, the prickly pears were succeeded by another speciescalled the _Cierge_ (the _Cactus cereus_ of _savants_). Several of theseplants were growing with a single stem, and measured from ten to twelvefeet in height, looking like telegraph poles; others had two or threeshoots springing from them, which made them look still more singular. Athird species, creeping over the ground, added much to the difficulty ofour walking, and obliged us very often to take long strides to avoidthem. In spite of all the care we could take, we scratched our limbsseveral times against their sharp spines. 

I again took the lead--for there was not room between the _cierges_ towalk abreast--and, climbing up a small hillock, surveyed a wideprospect. Such a complete change could not possibly have taken place inso short a time in any other country. More trees, more shrubs, morebushes! Everywhere the cactus might be seen assuming twenty differentshapes--round, straight, conical, or flattened, and really seeming as ifit delighted in assuming appearances so fantastic as almost to defydescription. Here and there the _cierges_, standing side by side, seemedto vie with each other in height, sometimes attaining to as much astwenty to thirty feet, while the young shoots resembled a palisade, orone of those impenetrable hedges with which the Indians who live on theplateau surround their dwellings. Farther on, there were vast vegetablemasses of a spherical shape, covered with rose-colored, horny, andtransparent thorns, which displayed across our path all their hugerotundity, really exhibiting nothing vegetable to the eye but theircolor. Here and there, too, some creeping species, with their branchesfull of thorns, formed a perfect thicket; one might almost have fanciedthat they were a hundred-headed hydra. 

"We might almost imagine we were in a hot-house full of rich-growingplants and golden-colored flowers, " said Sumichrast to me. 

"Yes, " I replied; "but we must also imagine that we are looking at themthrough the lens of a microscope. What would a Parisian say if he sawthis _viznaga_?"

The plant I was pointing to was at least six feet in height and threetimes that in circumference. 

"When I was a shepherd, " said l'Encuerado, "I led my goats into one ofthe plains where the _viznagas_ grow. With my _machete_ I made a cutinto one side of the plant, and my goats immediately began to eat thepith with which it was filled. Gradually they hollowed out a hole largeenough for two or three of them to enter at once, and this make-shifthut afforded me a first-rate shelter against the rays of the sun and thenight breezes. "

"Oh!" cried Lucien, with enthusiasm, "if we have to camp in thesefields, we must have such a house. "

I again examined the landscape round us. There was nothing whateverwhich betrayed the vicinity of man. Everywhere the _cacti_ spread outtheir variously-shaped flowers, which were nearly all yellowish or pink. Above us was a fiery sky, in which nothing seemed to move but a fewvultures; on the ground there were hundreds of lizards in constantmotion. 

The Indian led the way, followed by Lucien. 

"A footpath!" the boy suddenly cried out. 

"A mimosa!" exclaimed Sumichrast, whose great height towered over usall. 

"A hut!" murmured l'Encuerado, stopping and holding his finger to hislips. 

We looked at each other; then, bending our steps towards the spotpointed out by our companion, we each inspected the thatched roof, ofwhich only the top was visible. 

With a rapid glance at my weapons I advanced carefully, followed bySumichrast. Lucien, l'Encuerado, and Gringalet brought up the rear. 

We really felt some degree of emotion; the idea of seeing any humanbeings but ourselves quite made our hearts beat; for were we going tomeet enemies or friends? This was the important question to be decided. 

The path soon became wider; we were now scarcely two hundred paces fromthe hut, and we were astonished not to hear the barking of dogs, whichgenerally prowl round an Indian's dwelling. Sumichrast, who was now infront, came back. 

"This silence seems to me a bad omen, " he said; "take care we don't fallinto some ambuscade; I don't at all wish to be robbed, or, worse still, murdered. "

Leaving the path to our left, we made our way among the _cacti_. 

"Are we in a savage country?" asked Lucien. 

"Possibly, and that is why we have to be so careful, " I answered. 

"Do you think any one will hurt us?"

"The mere sight of our weapons might inspire the Indians with a desireof obtaining them; in a spot where every one can do as he likes, thereis nothing to prevent them stripping us and sending us away naked. "

"They are not Christians, then?"

"Ah, Chanito, they ought to be, " muttered the Indian. 

And, taking off his load, we soon lost sight of him among theunder-brush. 

Under any other circumstances, Lucien's frightened look, when he saw ustake so many precautions in approaching a human dwelling, would haveamused; but, so far from doing so now, we listened anxiously for theleast sound. 

At last we heard l'Encuerado's loud and welcome "Hiou! hiou!" The hutwas perfectly empty. 

After an hour's rest, passed by the boy in rambling round it, I gave theword for starting again. The Indian took the lead, following the stillvisible traces of a footpath. The hut, hardly large enough to hold threepersons, seemed more like a temporary shelter than a settled dwelling;l'Encuerado, who was a great authority in such matters, was of opinionthat it was only an offshoot to a larger settlement. After a tolerablylong walk, another footpath crossed the one we were following; on itssurface we noticed prints of naked feet--even those of women andchildren. But although we carefully examined the horizon, nothing butthe immense white uninterrupted plain bathed in sunshine greeted ourvision. 

This prospect somewhat damped our ardor. Ever since the morning, we hadbeen walking on in the hopes of meeting with a human dwelling. We hadscarcely eaten any thing, and hunger and thirst were added to thedisappointment we had met with. Lucien proposed to hollow out a_viznaga_ to sleep in--a project in which he was encouraged byl'Encuerado's telling him that we might have the luxury of a window, andcould keep off wild beasts by filling up the entrance with thorny_cierges_. It may readily be understood how much the idea of bivouackinginside a plant pleased the fancy of our young companion; and perhaps weshould have assisted in realizing his wish, if the barking of a dog hadnot attracted our attention; so we recommenced our march in betterspirits. A rapid descent brought us near a number of tree-ferns, achange of vegetation which we looked upon as a good omen. L'Encueradocontinued to follow the footpath, until he suddenly stopped on a gentleeminence, which overlooked a small green valley with a brook runningthrough it. To my great joy I counted as many as six palm-leaf huts. 

The sight refreshed us so marvellously, that we all descended withrapid, long strides. Every now and then either a cock crowing, a turkeygobbling, or a dog barking, came as music to our ears, and I can hardlydescribe what pleasant feelings these familiar noises produced. As wewent on, the bushes on each side of the path screened our view of thehuts. The neigh of a horse attracted our attention, and a man, mountedbare-backed, made his appearance about a hundred paces from us. 

"Halt!" I cried to my companions. 

With my gun hung to my cross-belt, and my hat in hand, I advanced alonetowards the rider, who had suddenly reined in his steed. 

"Ave Maria!" said I, going up to him. 

"Her holy name be blessed!" answered the horseman, raising his cap, fromwhich several locks of white hair escaped. 

"Do you speak Spanish, venerable father?"

"Yes, a little. "

"Are you the chief of the village?"

"What do you want?"

"We require water and a roof to shelter us. "

"You are not alone, I see; from whom do you come?"

"We are nothing but travellers wandering through the forests to seek forplants and animals with healing properties. "

"But you are armed?"

"Well, we have a child to protect, and the brutes of the forest arefierce. "

"Are you speaking the truth?"

I then called Lucien, who doffed his hat to the old man and salutedhim. 

"Child, may God bless you!"

"Are we to consider ourselves your guests?"

"Yes, you are the guests of Coyotepec; come along with me. "

Sumichrast and l'Encuerado also approached the horseman, who dismountedand then led the way. The latter conversed with the Indian in the Mistectongue, an idiom which Lucien alone could understand, he having beentaught it by l'Encuerado. From the way in which the old man scanned us, I imagined that l'Encuerado had represented us to him as white sorcerersof no ordinary skill. 

Coyotepec--or "Stone Wolf"--might have been about seventy years of age. He was born in this ravine, to which he had given the name of the"_Mountain's Mouth_, " though I am ignorant of the reason for thedesignation. He had been taken, when very young, by one of his uncles toPuebla, but he had soon left the city with the intention of rebuildingthe paternal hut, and of knowing nothing of the world beyond his owndomain. His six children were all married and lived near him, and thelittle colony numbered as many as thirty individuals. He was an Indianof the Tlascalan race, as robust and nimble as a man of forty, of middleheight, with a brown skin. He wore a hat made of palm-tree straw, andwas dressed in a white woollen jacket, fastened in round the waist likea blouse; cotton drawers, scarcely covering his knees, completed hiscostume. 

"What is the nearest town to this?" asked Sumichrast. 

"Puebla, " was the answer. 

"How far off is it?"

"About eight days' journey. "

As the usual day's journey of the Indian is ten leagues a day, thedistance must have been about eighty leagues. 

The old man could not furnish us with any other geographicalinformation; he had heard the names of Orizava and Tehuacan, but neverhaving visited these towns, he knew nothing of the distance we were fromthem. For forty years, with the exception of the relations of his sonsand daughters-in-law, who paid him a visit annually, we were the firstpersons who had disturbed his solitude. We availed ourselves of thetrunk of a tree to cross the brook, when our guide soon stopped in frontof a hut. Four naked children, the eldest of whom might have been tenyears old, inspected us with comical curiosity. They had never beforeseen a white man, and although we were dreadfully bronzed, theirsurprise was very great. A young woman, whose clothing consisted of apiece of cloth folded round her hips, saluted us in broken Spanish, andbid us welcome. The old man introduced us to his eldest son, namedTorribio, a man about forty years of age. His clothing was not quite soprimitive as that of his father, but consisted of slashed trowsersornamented with silver buttons, a cotton shirt, and a felt hat coveredwith varnished leather. The little colony employed themselves incollecting cochineal, which Torribio carried to Puebla for sale, andthis fact accounted for his more civilized costume. At length the oldman asked us to come into his hut, round which a large part of hisfamily were assembling. He called his wife, who was a little old woman, dressed in a long cotton gown; then he addressed us, pointing to hischildren and grandchildren, and said:

"You are my guests; my house is at your disposal, and all my relativesare your servants. "

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXI. 

BLACK SKINS AND WHITE SKINS. --WE HAVE TO TURN CARPENTERS. --L'ENCUERADOCHANTING AND PREACHING. --THE PALM-LEAVES. --VEGETABLE BUTTER TREE. 

The dwelling so generously put at our disposal was a large shed, dividedinto three rooms by bamboo partitions; mats, spread out on the ground, formed our beds, and the remainder of the furniture consisted of nothingbut two benches. L'Encuerado swept out one of the rooms, and, collectingsome dry palm-leaves, made us a softer resting-place than we had slepton for the last twenty days. A troop of children--of both sexes, andperfectly naked--formed a circle round us, and watched our movementswith surprise. I omitted to mention about half a dozen dogs, who were atfirst perfectly furious at Gringalet's appearance, but afterwardscontented themselves with growling whenever the intruder came near. 

When our baggage had been deposited in the shed, I went and sat down afew paces from the hut, on a mound overlooking the brook. Sumichrastsoon joined me. Gradually the sun went down, while the children, previously playing about, went to dip themselves in the beautifullytransparent water. I told Lucien, who was dying to imitate them, tofollow their example. He had hardly taken off his shirt, when the youngIndians, who had watched him undress with evident curiosity, burst outlaughing, and chattered together like so many young paroquets. 

"Why do they laugh so when they look at me?" asked Lucien ofl'Encuerado. 

"Of course, because of your white skin; what else should it be? Theyhave never seen a human being of that color before. "

"They think it so very ridiculous?" interposed Sumichrast. 

"Yes, rather, " replied the Indian; "but you must not mind it, Chanito;for, after all, it is not your fault. "

We and the young Indians now laughed in concert; and this incident ledon to a long conversation between Sumichrast and me. L'Encuerado, who, we had imagined, envied us our white skins, pitied us, in fact; as nodoubt he would himself have been pitied by Nubians, because he was onlycopper-colored. 

"Why, " said Lucien, who came up to us just as the discussion began, "arenot all men the same color? What is the reason of it, M. Sumichrast?"

"It is owing to the influence of the sun, which more or less colors thepigment of the skin. "

"The pigment?"

"Yes; a brown matter which exists under the skin, and gives to it ashade more or less dark. "

"Then Europeans have no pigment?"

"Yes, they have, just like all other races of men; only this matter doesnot affect the whole of their bodies. The brown spots which cover theface and hands of some people are produced by the pigment making its waythrough the epidermis. "

"Then, " replied Lucien, "negroes would become white if they lived inEurope. "

"No, " I answered, smiling; "the sun shines in Europe as well as inAmerica, and however weak its action may be, it is sufficient to blackenthe pigment. "

"But if they always lived in the shade?" cried l'Encuerado. 

"It would have to be perfect darkness, a thing which it is quiteimpossible to procure. "

At this moment our host called us. On a rickety table, covered with asmall cotton cloth, a bowl of thin soup, with _tortilla_ and tomatoes, was smoking, and we all did full justice to our fare. This dish wasfollowed by a fowl seasoned with pimento sauce and black beans fried infat; then some _camotes_ (_Convolvulus batatas_) displayed the brightcolors of their mealy interior, in the midst of a sirup with whichl'Encuerado and Lucien regaled themselves. A large bowl of coffee putthe finishing stroke to our satisfaction. Instead of bread, we ate somefreshly made maize-cakes. Never had any dinner appeared so delicious tous as this, for we had begun to get rather tired of game, which hadformed our principal food since we left home. 

When the meal was over, Lucien ran back to join the children, who, seated on the bank of the stream, were plaiting palm-leaves together. One of them was very successful in making a grasshopper, and the boys, delighted with the praises of their guest, vied with one another intheir inventions. They presented him with a bull, a fowl, a basket, andother articles, which were very curious, considering the material usedand the skill of workmanship exhibited. 

Lucien, perfectly enchanted with these presents, and finding that ouradmiration hardly equalled his own, turned to l'Encuerado, whocriticised the articles submitted to him with an artistic eye:

"Then you, too, know how to weave palm-leaves?"

"Yes, Chanito, I can make grasshoppers, horses, and even birds. "

"Only fancy! and yet you have never made any for me!"

"You are mistaken in that; when you were quite a little child I filledyour cradle with them. But as they seem to amuse you, I will teach youto weave them for yourself. "

At dark the children disappeared, and our host came to wish usgood-night. I told him of the light we had caught a glimpse of theevening before. 

"It was Juan, " he said. 

"And who is Juan?"

"The eldest of my grandchildren. He is watching a flock of goats in theplain which belong to us. "

The voice of the old man woke me next morning, and I got up at the sametime as Sumichrast, who was still in a semi-torpid state from havingslept so well. Lucien and l'Encuerado, who had risen earlier, hadalready explored the ravine, led by the youngest of the children; forthe elder ones worked, according to their several abilities, atcollecting wood or cultivating the fields. 

Our first care was to unpack the insects and bird-skins we hadcollected, and the whole colony now surrounded us and asked usinnumerable questions. To our great disappointment, we found we couldonly retain the most remarkable of our "treasures. " Hitherto, thebird-skins had taken the place in the basket of the provisions we hadeaten; but, after making an inventory, I came to the conclusion that, when our provisions were renewed, it would be perfectly impossible forl'Encuerado to travel with such an increased load. So we were compelledto reject many of the specimens, though not without regret. Suddenly theidea struck me of questioning Coyotepec about his son's annual journeyto Puebla. 

"He will start in fifteen days, " answered the old man. 

"Will he go alone?"

"No; he takes with him three of our biggest lads and six donkeys. "

"And are the donkeys laden?"

"Yes; but the boys start without any burden. "

In an hour's time (an Indian never decides any thing without muchconsideration) I arranged with my host that he should transport toPuebla two cases in which I could pack my valuables. 

Such a piece of good luck made us feel quite jolly; for by this means wewere enabled to preserve the whole of our collections, instead ofthrowing many of them away, as had often before happened. 

We were now in want of cases, and Coyotepec had neither saw, hammer, nornails; but he gave me some rough boards, on which we all set to work. 

L'Encuerado and Sumichrast smoothed the planks with the help of twowoodman's hatchets, while I cut pegs, all laboring without intermissionuntil the next evening. A little before sunset we had succeeded inmaking two large and tolerably light boxes, a task which, without propertools, was more difficult than any one could suppose who had notundertaken it. 

Sunday, which was Whitsunday, found us quite amazed at our performance. L'Encuerado had succeeded in weaving some mats to cover the cases, andpreserve their contents from the damp. About eleven o'clock our host'sfamily assembled in front of the hut; the women and young girls weredressed in red or blue petticoats, with their shoulders covered withembroidered cotton chemisettes: and the younger boys were clothed in asort of blouse without sleeves. The grandmother was the last to make herappearance, and she had a necklace of very valuable pearls round herneck. The women wore ornaments made of bits of rough coral, and theirfingers were loaded with silver rings. 

"We always assemble together on Sunday at the hour for mass, to say ourprayers together, " said Coyotepec to me, "and to thank God who coversthe trees with fruit, and preserves us in good health. "

"We are Christians the same as you, " I answered gravely. 

Then every one knelt down, and the old man recited the Litanies and asuccession of Ave Marias. After this one of the young girls chanted acanticle, assisted by the others, who joined in. The singer had scarcelyfinished her hymn, when l'Encuerado, perfectly electrified, entreatedthe audience not to move, and at once struck up one of his favoritechants. He kept us at least half an hour in the burning sun, till, beingtired of kneeling, I made signs to him to leave off. But it was lostlabor, for my servant pretended not to perceive me, and only multipliedhis gestures and cries, repeating the same verse three times running. 

"Amen!" at last I cried, in a loud voice, getting up. 

Every one followed my example; so, being at last set at liberty, I wentaway, while the Indians surrounded l'Encuerado to congratulate him. 

I had not yet paid a visit to the ravine, which, situated as it was inthe midst of the _Terre-Froide_, yielded the same kind of productions asthe _Terre-Chaude_. I called Sumichrast and Lucien, and, under theguidance of Torribio, the Indian who every year drove the donkeys toPuebla, we ascended the course of the stream. 

Our guide first led us to his hut, surrounded by Bourbon palms. Thisbeautiful tree, belonging to the palm family, has a strange and yet anagreeable appearance. From its very summit long stalks shoot out, at theend of which hangs a wide leaf, which is first folded, and afterwardsspreads out like a fan ornamented with points. The Indians cut up theseleaves to weave the mats, called _pétates_, which form an article ofsuch extensive commerce in Mexico. They are also used for makingbaskets, brooms, bellows, and many other household utensils. 

Torribio's cabin consisted of but one room, and the fire-hearth wasplaced outside under a small shed. This primitive abode containedneither chairs, tables, nor benches. Sumichrast was full of admirationat this simplicity, which I considered rather overdone; but my friendcompared the life of civilization, in which luxury has created so manywants, with the lot of these men who can dispense with almost everything, and decidedly came to the conclusion that the latter are much thehappier. 

On leaving the hut, I noticed to our left a magnificent avocadopear-tree--_Persea gratissima_--the fruit of which yields a pulp called"vegetable butter. " The avocado pear, called by the Indians _ahuacate_, is the same shape as a large pear, with interior of a light-green colorand of a buttery nature; its sweet flavor is delicious to every palate. It is either eaten plain, or seasoned with salt, oil, and vinegar. 

"The avocado pear-tree, I should think, has no relations among trees!"said Lucien, smiling. 

"Yes, certainly it has. It belongs to the Laurel family, and is the onlymember of it which produces eatable fruit. Its connections, though, occupy an important position in domestic economy. First, there is thebay-tree--_Laurus nobilis_--the leaves of which are indispensable inFrench cookery; while the berries furnish an oil used in medicine. Nextcomes the _Laurus camphora_, from the leaves of which camphor isextracted, the crystallized essence which evaporates so easily; then the_Laurus cinnamomum_, the bark of which is called cinnamon; and, lastly, sassafras, the aromatic wood which is said to be a powerful sudorific. "

Our guide conducted us across a field of Indian corn or maize. Europe isindebted to America for this valuable gramineous plant. The common breador _tortilla_ of this country, which is a kind of pancake, is made fromit. Before the maize is quite ripe, it is eaten boiled or parched; infact, generally throughout America, it is used instead of barley or oatsfor feeding horses and cattle. 

As soon as Torribio entered his own plantation, he bent down a few twigsof the _masorcas_ without dividing them from the stem. 

"Why do you bend those poor plants like that? Won't they die?" criedLucien. 

"Yes; in the first place, because they are annuals, and our guide onlyhastened their death a few days; besides, the ears he cut are ripe, andwill dry hanging to the stems which have nourished them. This method isas simple as it is expeditious, but could only be put into practice incountries where winter is nothing but a spring. "

Behind the maize-field there was a hedge covered with long filaments ofa golden-yellow color. These filaments, which were entirely devoid ofleaves, grew all over the shrubs almost like a thick cloak. 

"What is the name of this wonderful plant?" asked Lucien. 

"It is the _sacatlascale_, " answered Torribio. 

"It is a sort of dodder, " added Sumichrast, "a plant of the Convolvulusfamily. The European species is destroyed, because it twines roundcertain vegetables and chokes them. Here, however, the _sacatlascale_ isallowed to grow, because some use has been found for it. "

"What could be made of these stalks, which are so delicate that theybreak if I merely touch them?"

"They are first bruised, and then dried in the sun, " replied Torribio. "When they want to dye a black or yellow hue, all they have to do is toboil the paste in iron, or mix it with alum. "

While we were climbing the banks of the ravine, Lucien availed himselfof such a good opportunity by smearing his hands all over with thisbright yellow substance. When we reached a certain height, we lay downon the grass. With one glance we could take in the whole of this smalloasis. The stream meandered along, shaded with green trees; here andthere, among clumps of Bourbon palms, we could discern huts irregularlydotted about. I turned my eyes towards our host's threshold, and, through my glass, perceived l'Encuerado, who was still preaching. He hadevidently left off chanting, for his hearers were seated round him onthe ground. 

Lucien took possession of the telescope, and I noticed that Torribioalso seemed very anxious to try the instrument. I told the boy to lendit to him. Our guide, seeing trees brought so close to him, could not atfirst account for this optical effect. I then directed the glass so thathe could see the group of Indians, and I never saw any human facemanifest such complete surprise. The Indian, who appeared perfectlycharmed, could not long maintain his gravity. Every time he succeeded indiscovering a hut, he hardly gave himself time to look at it, but rolledon the ground bursting with laughter. Two or three times I put out myhand to take back the telescope, but Torribio hugged it to his breast, just like a child when any one attempts to take a plaything away. Atlast he consented to give it to me, and I felt really sorry that I hadnot another glass to offer him. 

Sumichrast led the way round the end of the ravine. Suddenly the birds, which were warbling on the banks of the stream, all flew away; a goshawkwas hovering above us in the sky. As it was flying swiftly through theair, it passed us within gunshot; a shot struck it, and, tumbling overand over, it fell to the ground about twenty paces from us. Lucienimmediately ran to pick it up. 

"It is a falcon!" he cried. 

"You are right, " replied Sumichrast; "it is the Cayenne goshawk, whichis characterized by having a head covered with ash-colored feathers, bya brown body, and black feathers in its tail. "

"Will you skin it?"

"Yes, certainly, Master Sunbeam; firstly, because this is any thing buta common bird; and, secondly, during the few days we shall stay here, wemust endeavor to fill the boxes which we have had so much difficulty inmaking. "

At this moment a finch, with red, brown, and white feathers, settlednear us. 

"It is the _Pyrrhula telasco_, " said my friend, "a species discovered byLesson, the celebrated ornithologist, in his journey to Lima. Ah! if Iwasn't so economical with the powder--"

"I have some powder, " muttered Torribio. 

"You have some powder!" I cried; "will you sell us some?"

"No, " answered the Indian, dryly. 

"Why not?" was my rejoinder. "Are you also a sportsman? Besides, if youare, you will soon be going to Puebla, where you could get a freshsupply. "

"I never sell my powder, " was the terse response. 

"Very well, then, let us say no more about it. "

We crossed over the stream by means of a tree which stretched from onebank to the other. Ere the sun ceased to gild the ravine with its rayswe found ourselves opposite to the dwelling of the Indian patriarch, which overlooked a hut similar to that of our guide. The sky was a paleblue, and we had a glimpse of the monotonous plain dotted over with thesombre cactus-plant; while just below us figured the fresh oasis, rendered all the more charming by the contrast. The birds warbled in theshrubs, and one by one flew away in order to return to the trees, amongthe branches of which they had perhaps first crept out of the paternalnest. A warm breeze was blowing when we got up to return to the village. 

"I have some powder!" exclaimed the Indian, abruptly. 

"Yes, very likely, but I also know that you don't wish to sell any. "

"No, I don't. "

The powder is surely mine, I thought to myself; and, after walking abouttwenty paces, I again took up the subject. 

"Even if your powder was very good, I wouldn't buy it of you; I know menlike you mean what they say; nevertheless, if you like, I will make anexchange. "

"What could you give me?" replied Torribio, with affected indifference;"I don't want any of your birds, and my gun is quite as good as yours, if not better. "

"That's true enough, therefore say no more about it. "

And I continued to follow my guide, who walked slowly on. He soon turnedround again. 

"The magic glass, " said he, with a great effort. 

"Come! now we've got to the point, " murmured Sumichrast. 

"It is a bargain, if your powder is good, " said I. 

"Will you really give the glass to me?" cried the Indian, his eyeslighting up with joy. 

"I am always a man of my word, " I replied. 

Torribio hurried on so fast that Lucien was obliged to run in order tokeep up with us. After crossing the stream, our guide conducted us tohis hut, and showed us four cases of American powder which was quitesound, and more than five or six pounds of assorted shot. 

I was overjoyed at this discovery; but I maintained an indifferencequite equal to that of our guide, who was squatting down on the groundwith his chin resting between his knees. 

"Here is the telescope, " I said. 

His features remained perfectly motionless, but his eyes sparkled andhis hand trembled slightly as he seized the object of his longing. Ishowed him how to use and clean the instrument; then, loaded with theboxes, which were so precious to me, and followed by my companions, Ireturned to Coyotepec's dwelling. 

"Why didn't Torribio say at once that he was willing to exchange hispowder for the telescope?" asked Lucien. 

"The reason is, because an Indian always tries to conceal his wishes andpassions. "

"But why didn't you offer him the instrument directly?"

"If I had shown too much eagerness, very probably he would have refusedto make an exchange, and the Indian seldom retracts what he has oncesaid. "

Of course, l'Encuerado, always the most extravagant in its use, wasperfectly delighted to see our stock of ammunition trebled. 

We had scarcely finished our dinner, when we heard the sound of aguitar: the Mistec, after having preached, had succeeded in convincinghis congregation that a dance was the proper method of winding up theday. The space in front of the patriarch's dwelling having been swept, and two crackling fires lighted, ere long the women made theirappearance, in what they considered full dress, and their hair loadedwith flowers. The national air of the _Jarabe_ was played, and thedancers trod the measure with energy. Lucien, who had joined the crowd, wanted to teach the polka and waltz to the Indian children. Sumichraststood by, laughing most heartily; but his merriment increased on seeingl'Encuerado's gambols, for never before had such wonderful capers beencut. He sang, strummed on his guitar, and danced--often doing all threeat the same time. About ten o'clock, Lucien retired to rest. Thefatigues of the day, in spite of the noise of the guitar and the songs, soon sent him to sleep. 

At a proper hour I desired every one to go home. They kissed my hands, some even embraced me, and obeyed; so silence once more reigned in thelittle valley. Before my going to sleep, l'Encuerado was alreadysnoring, with his head on Gringalet's back. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXII. 

MEXICAN OAK-APPLES. --A STREAM LOST IN AN ABYSS. --THE WILDNASTURTIUM. --SPORTSMEN DECEIVED BY CHILDREN. --THE GRAVE-DIGGINGBEETLES. --THE COCHINEAL INSECT. --MEXICAN WINE. --GOOD-BYE TO OUR INDIANHOSTS. 

As soon as it was light, I awoke Sumichrast and Lucien. L'Encuerado wassleeping so soundly, after his exploits of the night before, that wehesitated to disturb him. I intended to hunt for insects all day, so asto fill up the vacant spaces in the specimen-boxes that Torribio was totake to Puebla; so we bent our steps towards the bottom of the valley. As the inhabitants were still asleep in their huts, Gringalet passedsafely all his sleeping brother-dogs with his tail boldly cocked. 

The winding path brought us out into an extensive hollow covered withverdure. In a hundred paces more, we reached some pyramid-shaped rocks, which were bound together by the gigantic roots of a tree with scantyfoliage. The water glided noiselessly through the stones, anddisappeared under a low arch shaded by gladiolas, covered with blossoms. 

Lucien, who was leaning over the opening, wanted to know what became ofthe water. 

"Perhaps it is absorbed by sand underneath; perhaps it will reappear inthe valleys, where the surface sinks to its level, " I answered. 

"Do streams often go under the ground like this?"

"Yes; particularly in Mexico, where these subterranean passages arenumerous. Near Chiquihuita, about five leagues from the road which leadsto Vera Cruz and Cordova, a large river vanishes into a cave, which ismore than three miles in length. "

"Oh, how I should like to see such a large grotto!"

"Your wish shall be gratified, provided we do not lose our way in the_Terre-Chaude_. "

Sumichrast had only a few minutes left us, when we heard a report, andhe reappeared carrying a magnificent bird, whose red plumage had apurple metallic lustre. 

"We have never met with this fine fellow before, " said Lucien. 

"It is the most brilliant of all the American passerines, " Ireplied--"the _Ampelis pompadora_; but its splendid attire lasts onlyfor a very short time. In a few days its bright-colored feathers falloff, and are replaced by a sombre, dull-looking coat. This moulting, which is common to many birds, has more than once led ornithologistsinto error, who have described, as a new species, a bird which a newdress has prevented them from recognizing. "

[Illustration: "The water . . . Disappeared under a low arch. "]

The neighborhood of the _sumidero_ furnished us with a dozen birds ofdifferent species; among others, several tanagers peculiar to America, and a pair of pretty light-brown cuckoos, with fan-shaped tails, whichare merely birds of passage in this locality. 

"When you are speaking of a bird, why do you often say it belongs toBrazil, Guiana, or Peru, when you actually find it in Mexico?" askedLucien. 

"Because, at certain seasons of the year, many kinds of birds migrate, "answered my friend; "and they are often found at an immense distancefrom the country where they breed. This beautiful blackbird, forinstance, is never seen in Mexico except in the spring, which has causedit to be called here the _primavera_. "

"Look, papa, at these beautiful yellow flowers; they cover the trunk ofthis tree so completely that it appears as if they grew on it. "

"They are the flowers of the _trop[oe]olum_, or wild nasturtium. Thisplant has been cultivated in Europe, where its seed is eaten preservedin vinegar, and its flowers are used to season salads. "

"Then the Mexicans do not know its value, for I have never seen it ontheir tables. "

"You are right; but still I should have thought that the piquant tasteof the flowers of the _trop[oe]olum_ would have just suited them. Perhaps they find it too insipid after having been accustomed to chewingcapsicums. "

"You have the seasoning, and I have the salad!" suddenly cried myfriend. 

And he showed us a handful of an herb called purslane. 

This plant, which grows in abundance in damp ground, has red flowers, which close every evening and open again in the morning. I gathered thefleshy leaves, while Sumichrast, who had found a plant covered withseeds, showed Lucien the circular hole on the seed which has given tothe plant its family name (_Portulacæ_). 

Some maize-cakes and a salad formed our frugal breakfast, which wasdiscussed on the edge of the stream. Lucien especially seemed to enjoyit, for I was indeed obliged to check him, the appetizing flavor of thesalad had so sharpened his appetite. 

When we had finished our meal, Sumichrast tried to climb the steep bank;but the ground gave way under his feet, and two or three times he fell. I left Lucien to manage for himself, for his falls were not likely to bedangerous. As he was much less heavy than we were, he succeeded inreaching the level of the plain first, and with very little trouble, when he amused himself by laughing disrespectfully at our efforts. 

"You had better take care of your ears, " cried my friend, addressingLucien; "if I could reach you I would use them to hang on by. "

In vain we tried to find a more accessible path. At last, getting rid ofmy gun and game-bag, I accomplished the ascent. 

"That's all very well!" exclaimed Sumichrast, fatigued and cramped withhis exertions; "but how am I to reach you, now that I have two guns andtwo bags to carry?"

"Wait a bit!" cried Lucien; and, running down the slope, he soondisappeared. 

I heard him cutting at something with his _machete_; soon after he cameup again, carrying a long stem of cane. 

"Now we'll try and fish up M. Sumichrast, " said he. 

Sitting down on the bank, I held out the rod to my companion, who atonce seized it, and, thus supported, gradually managed to bring up allour hunting-gear, and ultimately himself, when, instead of pulling"Master Sunbeam's" ears, he gave him a kiss as a reward for hisingenious idea. 

[Illustration: "Four children appeared. "]

About two hundred paces farther on the verdant ravine came to an end, and we were surrounded by cactus-plants. Lucien employed himself huntinglizards, and Gringalet seemed to think he was proving his intelligenceby running in front of the boy, so as to frighten away all the game. Theyoung hunter succeeded, however, in catching a green saurian--an_anolis_--which, being more courageous than lizards generally are, triedto bite the hand that held it prisoner, and angrily puffed up its crest, which is variegated like a butterfly's wing. 

Suddenly Gringalet barked uneasily; then we heard a shrill whistle, andimmediately afterwards the cry of a cayote. I called in the dog, and, with my finger on the trigger of my gun, cautiously advanced, tellingLucien to keep at my side. We walked so noiselessly that we surprisedtwo or three adders which were coiled up in the sun. The screech of anowl now struck on our ears. I exchanged a look of surprise with mycompanion; this was neither the time nor place for a bird of this kind. A fresh yelping and barking then resounded; but this time it was so nearto us that we halted. Gringalet dashed on before us, and four childrenappeared, repulsing the dog with cactus-leaves in their hands, whichthey used as shields. 

"Well!" cried Sumichrast, "here we have the cayote, the owl, and thedog, which have so puzzled us. "

My companion was not wrong: the young Indians were carrying provisionsto their elder brother, who was taking care of a flock of goats. Inorder to enliven their journey, they amused themselves by imitating thecries of different animals, and they did it with so much accuracy thatwe had been completely duped. 

About three o'clock, my friend, who was anxious to prepare the birds hehad shot, left us to return to Coyotepec's dwelling. I continuedwalking, accompanied by Lucien, but soon stopped to look at the deadbody of a mouse which grave-digging beetles were burying. 

These insects, five in number, were excavating the ground under thesmall rodent, in order to bury it. These industrious insects hadundertaken a work which would employ them more than twenty-four hours;two of the beetles were lifting up one side of the carcass, while theothers scratched away the sand underneath. 

"Why are they trying to bury that mouse?" asked Lucien. 

"They are providing for their young. They will deposit their eggsbeneath the dead animal, and the larvæ, after they are hatched, willfeed on it. "

I disturbed the active creatures, which, unfortunately for them, belonged to a rare species. Their antennæ, which are club-shaped, terminated abruptly in a kind of button, and their elytra, which are abrilliant black, are crossed by a belt of yellow color. In vain I turnedover the ground and the prey, but I could only find four of them. 

On a path leading to a glen, we noticed some cicindelas. Lucien beganchasing them, but the agility of his enemies soon baffled him. 

"How malicious these flies are!" he cried; "I can't succeed in catchingone of them. "

"They are not flies, but coleoptera, allied to the Carabus family. Giveme your net. "

Lucien was anxious to obtain one of them, and at length was successful. He was delighted with the beautiful metallic color of their brownelytra, dotted over with yellow spots; but the insect, after havingbitten him, escaped. 

"What jaws they have!" he said, shaking his fingers; "it's a good thingthose creatures are very small. Do cicindelas live in woods?"

"They prefer dry, sandy places, and can run and fly very swiftly. Thisinsect has an uncommonly voracious appetite; look at this one, which hasjust seized an immense fly, and is trying to tear it in pieces. "

The capricious flight of a stag-beetle led us to the edge of the ravine;and, continuing to follow a zigzag path shaded with shrubs, we came outin front of a hut. On the threshold there was a young woman spinning apiece of cotton cloth, whom I recognized as one of the dancers of thenight before. The loom which held the weft was fastened at one end tothe trunk of a tree, the other being wound round the waist of theweaver. Lucien examined it with great curiosity; and when he saw theweaver change the color of her threads, he understood how the Indianwomen covered the bottoms of their petticoats with those extraordinarypatterns which their fancy produces. 

Within a short distance of the hut there were some nopal cactus-plants. 

"Look at these plants, " said I, addressing Lucien; "the sight of themwould probably affect l'Encuerado to tears, for they are principallycultivated in his native land. The numerous brown spots which you cansee on their stalks are hemipterous insects, commonly called cochineal. They have no wings, and feed entirely on this cactus, sucking out itssap with their proboscis. The male only is capable of movement; thefemale is doomed to die where she is born. At a certain time theselittle insects lay thousands of eggs, and their bodies become coveredwith a cottony moss, which is intended as a shelter for their young. Thecochineal is gathered when, to use the Indian expression, it is ripe, byscraping the plant with a long flexible knife, and all the creatures, still alive, are plunged into boiling water. They are taken out as soonas they are dead, and dried in the sun. Afterwards, packed up ingoat-skin bags, they are sent to Europe, where they are used for dyeingand for making the carmine which gives to some kinds of sweetmeatstheir bright pink color. "

A little farther on, I found myself facing a _maguey_--_AgaveMexicana_--a sort of aloe, from which _pulque_ is extracted. The magueyonly blooms once every twenty-five or thirty years, and the stalk, whichis to support the clusters of flowers, grows, in the space of twomonths, to a height of about sixteen to twenty feet. The stalk bears atits summit no less than four or five thousand blossoms, and the plantexpends all its strength in producing them, for it dies soon after. 

In the plantations on the plains of Apam, where the maguey is largelycultivated, they prevent its flowering. As soon as the conical budappears from which the stalk is about to spring, it is cut off, and acylindrical cavity is hollowed out with a large spoon to the depth offrom five to eight inches. The sap collects in this hole, and it istaken out two or three times a day with a long bent gourd, which theIndians use as a siphon. It has been calculated that in twenty-fourhours a strong plant should supply about three quarts of a sweet liquorcalled _Agua miel_, which is without odor, and has an acidulated sweettaste. 

The _Agua miel_ is collected in ox-skins, placed like troughs on fourstakes, where the liquor ferments; in about seventy-two hours it isready for delivery to those that use it, among whom must be placed manyEuropeans. A maguey plant is serviceable in producing sap for two orthree months. 

_Pulque_ is an intoxicating beverage, the flavor of which variesaccording to the degree of fermentation; it might be compared to goodcider or perry, and is said to fatten those who habitually drink it. 

I reached Coyotepec's dwelling just as the sun had set. Sumichrast wasfinishing his work, and l'Encuerado, coming from a heap of drypalm-leaves, presented to me a splendid broad-brimmed hat, which he hadjust made. 

The next day and the day after were spent in hunting after specimens, and our boxes were soon filled up and packed. I explained to Torribio, who was to start at day-break, how to handle the cases, and thenintrusted to him letters which were to announce our early return. Lucienhad written to his dear mother and his sister Hortense, and he had toopen his letter at least twenty times to add postscripts, often dictatedby l'Encuerado. 

[Illustration]

In the evening we bade adieu to our kind hosts, for we were to startearly. Thanks to them, we had renewed our stock of salt, rice, coffee, sugar, and maize-cake. In default of black pepper, we took with us somered capsicums; but the most precious of our acquisitions was the powderand shot I had received in exchange for the telescope. 

On the next morning I learned that Torribio was already on his waytowards Puebla. He had started about midnight, so as to avoid crossingthe plain during the heat of the day. I now hastened our own departure. We were in possession of good hats, but our garments, which had beenmended with some soft leather, gave us the appearance of mendicants;this, however, did not trouble us much. My shoes, and also Sumichrast's, had been strongly, if not elegantly, repaired, and were quite as good asnew; Lucien, too, now possessed a pair of spare sandals. 

The inhabitants of the little colony ranged along our path, and, overwhelming us with good wishes, bid us another adieu. I pressed allthe hands that were held out to me, and then, guided by the band ofchildren, who still surrounded the young traveller, we commenced toascend the path which had led us down into this hospitable little oasis. When I reached the summit of the hill, I waved my hat as a lastsalutation to Coyotepec; l'Encuerado fired off his gun as a farewell, and we plunged into the labyrinth of cactuses, taking a straight coursetowards the east. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXIII. 

AGAIN ON THE ROAD. --THE BIRD-CATCHING SPIDER. --THE MARTEN AND THESKUNK. --THE FLYING SQUIRREL. --THE OTTER-HUNT. --L'ENCUERADO WOUNDED. 

Three days of difficult travelling brought us into the midst of the_Terre-Tempérée_. Thus we had traversed the whole breadth of theCordillera, at one time shivering on their summits, at anotherperspiring, as we penetrated narrow and deep-sunk valleys, just as thechances of our journey led us. Every now and then we caught a sight ofthe pointed cone of the volcano of Orizava, which assisted us in takingour bearings. At last, four days after taking leave of Coyotepec, weestablished our bivouac at the foot of a mountain, close to a clear andicy stream. 

While l'Encuerado was making the fire, Lucien discovered under a stonean enormous black and hairy spider, with feet armed with double-hookedclaws. 

"Isn't this a tarantula, M. Sumichrast?"

"No, my boy, it is a bird-catching spider--so called because it is saidto attack the humming-birds' nests and destroy the young ones. "

"May I catch it?"

"Not with your fingers; its bite is dangerous. "

"One might easily fancy it was watching us, from the expression of thosetwo big eyes near its mouth. "

"There is no doubt that it is looking at us; just menace it with thislittle stick, and you'll soon see it assume the defensive. "

The enormous spider raised its front feet, and two black and polishedhorns issued from its mouth. After a moment's hesitation, it suddenlydarted at the end of the stick, which Lucien let go in fright. 

Ten or twelve paces farther on, the young naturalist discovered anotherspider, and plied me with numerous questions about it. I could only givehim a few general facts as to this curious class of animals. 

"But, I say, papa, there must be a great many different species ofspiders, for I see some at every step--green, black, and yellow. "

"There are so many species that all of them are not yet known; indeed, Ibelieve that the Mexican spiders have not hitherto been described. It isnecessary to study them on the spot, for their soft bodies change theirshape in drying, and the proper means of preserving them are not withinthe reach of an ordinary traveller. "

In passing along, I broke through some threads of a light web stretchingbetween two bushes. The proprietor of the web--a gray spider--immediatelymade its appearance, and set hurriedly to work to repair the involuntarydamage I had committed. 

"Where does the thread come from?" asked Lucien; "it is so thin that Ican scarcely see it. "

"From four reservoirs situated at the lower part of the spider'sabdomen, and filled with a gummy matter which becomes solid as soon asit is exposed to the air. These reservoirs are pierced with about athousand holes, from each of which proceeds a thread invisible to thenaked eye, for it takes a thousand of them to form the thread the spideris now spinning. "

"How sorry I am now that I hadn't collected more of these curiousinsects! Some we have met with were very curious. "

"In the first place, " I replied, "spiders are not insects; they haveboth heart and lungs, but insects breathe through air-pipes. [P] Added tothis, insects have antennæ, and undergo metamorphoses, which is not thecase with the spider. You must recollect, too, that the spider is akinto the scorpion. "

"Yes; but scorpions don't know how to spin. "

"Well, all spiders do not possess this art. One of the species you werelooking at just now lives on plants, and would be much embarrassed if ithappened to fall into the web of its spinning sister; added to which, itwould run no small risk of being devoured. "

"Will spiders eat one another?"

"Without the least scruple, and scorpions do the same. It is, in fact, afamily vice. "

"I am not at all astonished, then, that the whole family are so ugly. "

"If they were ever so beautiful, it would make no difference in theirevil disposition. They have, however, some good qualities; such, forinstance, as patience and resolution. The poor spider, now, that we arelooking at, is working desperately to catch a prey which is constantlyescaping. Sometimes it is the wind which destroys the web soindustriously woven; sometimes a great beetle plunges heavily throughthe net. Nevertheless, the spider is not the least discouraged; he againsets his snare, and, while he is quietly watching for the game necessaryfor his subsistence, it too often happens that he is himself carried offin the beak of some bird. "

Lucien and I now went among the trees in quest of something substantialfor our dinner. The first thing we met with was a kind of marten, whichlooked viciously at us, and greeted us with a shrill cry. Gringaletdarted off in pursuit of the animal, and followed it until it reachedits hole. This animal, like the European marten, from which it differsonly in size, often establishes itself in barns and granaries, where atnight it amuses itself with the noisiest gambols. In the environs of theMexican towns, many a house, invaded by these martens, is abandoned byits owner, because it is thought to be haunted by ghosts. 

"Look out for yourselves!" cried l'Encuerado, suddenly. 

A mephitic weasel or skunk, an animal which somewhat resembles apolecat, came running by. Gringalet, tired of waiting for the marten, crossed the trail of the beast, and set off after it, in spite of ourcalls. The skunk suddenly stopped and scratched up the earth with itssharp claws; then it voided a liquid of such a fetid odor that the dogwas compelled to beat a retreat. 

L'Encuerado, with his finger on the trigger of his gun, started again, and led us along noiselessly. He suddenly stooped down to listen. 

[Illustration: "An animal came tumbling down about ten paces from us. "]

"It is a _quimichpatlan_, " said he to me, in a low voice. 

"A flying squirrel, " I repeated to Sumichrast. 

Lucien was about to speak; but I pointed to the Indian, who, half-hiddenbehind a dead trunk, was carefully examining the top of an ebony-tree. At this moment l'Encuerado placed his gun to his shoulder and fired. Hehad taken good aim--an animal came tumbling down about ten paces fromus, spreading out, in its convulsive movements, the membrane whichjoined its legs together and covered it almost like a cloak. 

Lucien took possession of the "flying squirrel, " and, as they always goin pairs, my two companions went in pursuit of the other, which theysoon succeeded in killing. 

"Are we going to eat these animals?" asked Lucien. 

"Why shouldn't we?" I rejoined. "They are squirrels; and, even supposingthat they were rats, as the Indians assert, their flesh should be nonethe less savory. "

"Can these animals fly for any length of time?" asked Lucien. 

"As a matter of fact, they do not fly at all; but the membrane whichunites their limbs acts like a parachute in keeping them up in the air, and materially assists them in some of their prodigious leaps. "

"Can they run as fast as squirrels?"

"Nothing like it; they do not, indeed, often come down to the ground;but their activity on trees renders them not unworthy of their family. "

"I thought, " observed Lucien, "that bats were the only mammals thatcould fly. "

"There is also the flying _phalanger_, " observed my friend; "an animalof the marsupial order, which is a native of Australia, and somewhatresembles the opossum. It is said that, when it catches sight of a man, it hangs itself up by the tail, and does not dare to move; but I thinkthis story will do to go along with l'Encuerado's about theglass-spider. "

The Indian started off straight to the bivouac, and I led my companionsby the side of the stream, admiring as we passed some magnificent trees. One of these was covered with brown fruit, with whitish insides, whichhad a rather nice acidulated taste. I hastened to pick half a dozen ofthem, knowing what a treat they would be to my servant. 

As we went on, the banks of the stream gradually became lower, and erelong a lake, deliciously shaded by cypresses, poplars, oaks, andebony-trees, opened to our view. 

I sat down upon a rock, with Sumichrast and Lucien by my side, and fromwhence my eye could wander all over the blue and transparent water. Wekept silent, being charmed with the smiling grandeur of this retiredcorner of the world. Birds came flying by, and, settling down close tous, warbled for an instant--then again took flight, after having givenus time to admire the rich colors of their plumage. The motionless waterwas covered by long-legged insects with transparent wings, which seemedto skim over the polished surface as if impelled by some invisibleagency. Sometimes an azure and purple attired dragon-fly flitted by, andall the insects fled at its approach, like sparrows before a hawk. Abrilliantly-colored butterfly dashed against the voracious insect, and afurious combat took place between them; but the dragon-fly, which waseventually the conqueror, was in turn vanquished by a bird. 

We were just moving off, when the deep water seemed to be agitated, and, although on the surface the flies and gnats continued their evolutions, the fish in hasty flight disappeared, and communicated their terror evento the water-snakes. A tortoise, however, seemed to deem it unnecessaryto retreat, only drawing its head and feet under its shell. Almostimmediately an animal swam vigorously up to the reptile, and, havingstopped to smell at it, continued its course. 

[Illustration: "The sun was just setting. "]

"Are there such things as opossum-fishes?" asked Lucien, surprised. 

"It is an otter, " said I, in a low voice. 

And quickly descending the rock, I followed Sumichrast to the water'sedge, at a spot where the animal appeared inclined to land. We waitedfor an hour without any result. 

My friend proposed to go and take a hurried dinner, and then return toour post near the rock. In a few minutes we had joined l'Encuerado, for, unknown to us, our bivouac was established about four gunshots from thelake. The Indian jumped with joy on hearing of the appearance of what hecalled a "water-dog. "

"You may set me down as a fool, " said he to Gringalet, caressing him, "if by to-morrow morning I don't give you one of your brother's legs forbreakfast. "

"Are otters really relations of Gringalet?" asked Lucien of me. 

"Yes; according to Cuvier, they are digitigrades. Added to this, theotter may be tamed and trained to bring fish out of the water, which itis very skillful in catching, for it eats scarcely any thing else. "

The sun was just setting, and behind us the dark outlines of the treesstood out against the orange-colored sky, while hundreds of birds werewarbling and twittering around. A dark shade spread over the horizon, and all was solemn silence. Ere long the sky was glittering with stars, and the moon rose slowly above the trees. Its pale light penetrated thefoliage, giving to the masses of leaves those fantastic shapes whichmake one dream of a supernatural world. As the moon advanced higher, itdiffused more and more light over the scenery, and few spectacles couldbe more splendid than such a tropical night as this. 

The report of a gun suddenly cut short my reverie, and l'Encuerado'sshout of "Hiou! hiou!" summoned us to him. While I hurried Lucien alongas fast as I could, I heard some loud shouting, which almost smotheredthe furious barking of the dog, and then saw my friend Sumichrastgrasping the throat of an animal which Gringalet was worrying. Alongside, l'Encuerado was lying on the ground, pressing his right arm, and uttering cries of pain. He had been bitten by the wounded otterwhich he had attempted to catch hold of. 

This was not the time to blame him, so I led l'Encuerado to the bivouac, where I was reassured by an examination of the bite, which I had atfirst feared was serious. After dressing the injured part, the Indianseemed much relieved. 

My friend--after Lucien had examined its broad muzzle and wide nostrils, its smooth, black coat, and its feet, webbed like ducks--skinned thegame, and put it at once upon the spit. When the meat was cooked to anicety, I covered it over to protect it from insects, and then proposedretiring, for I foresaw that the Indian would be unable to carry hisload the next day, and that either Sumichrast's patience or mine wouldbe taxed in taking his place; for we did not intend to prolong our stayby the stream. Sleep surprised us ere this weighty question was solved. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration: "L'Encuerado was pressing his arm, and uttering cries ofpain. "]

FOOTNOTE:

[P] The air-pipes are two vessels, one on each side, extending the wholelength of the body, provided with branches and ramifications. They servefor the reception and distribution of the air. 

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXIV. 

A LABORIOUS TASK. --WILD LIME-TREES. --PIGEONS. --THE WEST INDIANCHERRY. --THE EARWIG. --SNAKES AND SERPENTS. --FIRST GLANCE AT THETERRE-CHAUDE. 

"How is your arm now, l'Encuerado?" I asked, finding the Indian up whenI awoke. 

"Pretty well, Tatita; but I find I mustn't move it much. If I do, itfeels as if the blackguard water-dog was still holding me. "

I again dressed the wound, the Indian continuing to hurl fresh abuse atthe otter. I made him keep quiet, and prepared the coffee. Sumichrastand Lucien then rose, and we decided to start--the rainy season, whichwas approaching, rendering haste necessary. 

L'Encuerado, in spite of our remonstrances, insisted on shouldering theload; but, on raising the burden, he found he was unable, so Ishouldered the load. 

At last, after no end of exertion on my part and Sumichrast's--for wealternately bore it--three leagues were traversed. We then halted at thefoot of a hill, among ebony, mahogany, and oak trees. 

L'Encuerado took charge of the camp, while I, with my friend and Lucien, climbed a neighboring hill. The trees which crowned its summit werelimes--_Tilia sylvestris_--here the type of what bear the same name, andwhich are so plentiful in Europe, where they have been so changed bycultivation that they scarcely appear to belong to the same species astheir brethren in the virgin forests. The wood of the lime is valued bythe Indians for making various odds and ends, which are sold bythousands in Mexico. In Europe, the bark of this tree is used forwell-ropes, and the charcoal made from its wood is preferred to anyother for the manufacture of gunpowder. Few trees are more useful, andits beautiful green foliage makes it highly ornamental in a garden. 

Our attention was attracted to a familiar noise--the cooing of doves. Imoved gently under the trees, and soon put to flight several finespecimens, of a dark, ashy-blue color, with a black band across thetail-feathers, which were of a pearl-gray. I killed a couple of them;and Sumichrast, who was better placed, knocked down three others. Theywere quite sufficient for our dinners. They were the first of thisfamily that we had killed, and Lucien in vain tried to make out what hecalled their relationship. 

"They are neither passerines, " said he, "nor palmipedes. Climbers, too, have differently-made feet. "

"Your doubts are very natural, " interposed my friend; "evenornithologists are very undecided on this point. Nevertheless theyclass pigeons among the gallinaceæ, looking upon them as a link betweenthis order and the passerines. "

"Why don't they make an order for them by themselves?"

"Bravo, Master Sunbeam! your idea is an excellent one, but it has beenalready proposed; several naturalists reckon an order of _columbidæ_. But you ought to know that pigeons inhabit the whole surface of theglobe, and that they are white, blue, red, green, and brown; andsometimes all these shades blend together, and add their brilliancy tothe pleasing shape of the bird. The pigeon or dove, which is adopted asthe emblem of mildness and innocence, is readily tamed; its flight israther heavy, but lasting; and, in Belgium chiefly, it is used as abearer of letters, by conveying the bird to a long distance from itshome, to which its instinct always leads it to return. "

Lucien seemed very thoughtful. 

"I wish I had known that before, " he said; "we might have brought apigeon or two with us, and then poor mamma would have had news of usbefore now. "

Sumichrast, who had taken upon himself the office of head-cook, vacantowing to l'Encuerado's wound, returned to the bivouac laden with ourgame. I skirted the wood in company with Lucien, who was the first todiscover a West Indian cherry-tree--_Malpighia glabra_. The red fleshyand acid fruit was much to our taste; so the boy climbed the tree inorder to get plenty, rejoicing in the idea of giving his friends anagreeable surprise. When he had finished, we went to examine a deadtree. A piece of bark, quickly pulled off, discovered a quantity ofthose insects commonly called earwigs. 

"Do you notice, papa, those white specks one of the earwigs is coveringwith its body?"

"It is a female sitting on her eggs; but look at this!"

"Eight, ten, twelve little ones! How pretty they are! One might wellfancy that they were being led by the big earwig, which keeps turninground to them. There! now she has stopped, and the little ones arecrawling all round her. "

I could hardly get Lucien away from his interesting study; but thehissing of a snake which I turned out from under a stone soon broughtthe boy to me. I caught hold of the reptile, which rolled itself withsome force round my arm. The boy, quite speechless with surprise, lookedanxiously at me. 

"Oh father!" exclaimed he in terror, running towards me. 

"Don't be alarmed; this reptile has no fangs, and it is so small I canhandle it quite safely. "

"But it will hurt you with its sting. "

"It has no sting; there is no danger to be feared from its tongue. Here, you take hold of it. "

The boy hesitated at first, but gradually growing bolder, allowed thesnake to wind round his arm. When close by the fire, he held it out tol'Encuerado, who shrank back; for he fully believed all reptiles to bevenomous. Lucien in vain urged him to handle it. 

"I shan't mind touching it, " he said, "when you have told me the wordsyou say to make yourself invulnerable. "

"I am no more invulnerable than you are, " replied Lucien, smiling. "Thissnake is quite harmless, and I should never touch one without takingpapa's advice, even if it exactly resembled this. "

"And you didn't repeat any words?"

"No; papa had it in his hands, and it coiled round his arm. "

"I understand, then, " murmured the Indian; "it is the serpent that ischarmed. "

Gringalet, quite as mistrustful as l'Encuerado, ran off directly he sawthe reptile move. I told Lucien to let the snake go, and the Indianunsheathed his cutlass; but I would not allow him to injure the poorcreature. 

Our new cook was perfect master of his art. He supplied us with someexcellent maize broth, roasted pigeons, and then a rice-cake--certainlyrather shapeless, but of a delicious flavor. The cherries completed thisregal bill of fare, and the "calumet of peace" was associated with a cupof coffee. At nightfall, Sumichrast, avoiding Lucien's questions, wentslyly to rest, an example I was not slow in following--the weight of thebasket having fatigued me more than my pride allowed me to confess. 

The next day the rising sun found us already on the road. L'Encuerado'swound was less painful, and did not prevent his using his gun. Had itnot been for my express prohibition, he would have resumed his burden. When we reached the summit of the hill, he led us among the trees, and, commencing a descent, our little party did not stop till we had reachedthe bottom of a dark and damp glen, close to a greenish pool. Afterutilizing our halt by filling our gourds and killing an armadillo, wehurried to get away from a spot where the air seemed poisoned withpestilential miasma. Having again ascended the slope, I advanced througha grove of firs, encouraging my friend with the load, who was archlychallenged to a race by Lucien. 

"That's not at all generous, " said I to him; "if Sumichrast did notcarry the basket sometimes, what would become of us?"

"I'm only sorry that I am not strong enough to help you, " replied theboy. "I only tease M. Sumichrast because I know it amuses him, and makeshim forget his burden, then he walks more easily. "

"You never were more correct!" responded my friend, "I certainlyfancied you were indulging your own humor without thinking about me. "

A fresh ascent quite exhausted us, and Sumichrast vowed that he mustrelinquish the basket until the next day. I then took it; but in a verylittle time I was compelled to take the same resolution as my friend, sowe settled down to bivouac. 

While my companions were engaged in the cooking, I walked a little wayon the plateau. I had not gone above two or three hundred yards before Icalled to the others to join me; for the _Terre-Chaude_ was stretchedout at my foot. 

Departing day at last cast its mysterious veil over the tracts we wereabout to traverse. Just before it became quite dark, a snow-clad cornerof the volcano of Orizava was seen in the distance. I lifted up Lucien, and, kissing him, pointed it out, thinking on the dear ones who werebehind the mountain, counting the days till we returned. Gringaletbarked, as if claiming a caress for himself, and, guided by the dog, wereached our bivouac to enjoy a well-deserved repose. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration: "The _Terre-Chaude_ was stretched out at my feet. "]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXV. 

A GROUND-SQUIRREL. --A MOUSE'S NEST. --HUMMING-BIRDS AND THEIR YOUNGONES. --THE LOCUST-TREE. --MEXICAN WOLVES AND THEIR RETREAT. 

I was suddenly awakened by the report of a gun just as the day wasbreaking. L'Encuerado showed me an enormous squirrel, with a gray backand white belly--a species which never climbs, and is, for this reason, called by Indians _amotli_ (ground-squirrel). This animal, which livesin a burrow, has all the grace and vivacity of its kind, but it cannever be domesticated. It generally goes about in numerous bands, and, when near cultivation, will commit in a single night great destruction;the farmers, consequently, wage against it a war of extermination. 

Just as we were setting out, l'Encuerado, whose arm was visibly healingup, again took charge of the basket. I allowed him to carry it, on thecondition he should tell me as soon as he felt tired. I went in front, leading Lucien by the hand, and the rocky slope was descended withoutaccident. The oaks were small and scattered, and left us an easy passageover ground covered with dry leaves, which rustled under our feet. 

"We might almost fancy we were in Europe, " said Sumichrast, suddenlyhalting. 

"Yes, " I replied; "it seems as if the yellow leaves had already felt theautumnal winds. "

"There's a dead tree, " said my friend; "I feel sure, if we examine itsbark, we shall find some insects of our own country. "

My friend's hopes were not realized, and the only result of his searchwas to disturb the rest of two mice with slender muzzles. One of themescaped, while the other tried its best to protect a litter of fivelittle ones, buried in some fine vegetable débris. Lucien examined theyoung ones with interest, and after replacing the bark, as far aspossible, in its original position, rejoined us outside the wood. Adescent so rapid that we could scarcely keep our balance brought usamong a quantity of bushes covered with double thorns, which Lucien veryjustly compared to bulls' horns in miniature. At last the ground becamemore level, and, directing our course to the right, we turned into aplain, surrounded by woods. 

"Both trees and plants seem larger here than on the mountains, " saidLucien. 

"You are quite right, " answered Sumichrast; "the vegetation in the_Terre-Chaude_ is more vigorous than that of the _Terre-Tempérée_. Asyou advance farther into it, you will be able to judge. "

"Did you see that great insect that flew buzzing past us?"

"Yes, Master Sunbeam; but it was a humming-bird, not an insect. "

"A humming-bird!" cried the boy, at once unfolding his butterfly-net. 

And off he went in pursuit of the fugitive. The agile bird made athousand turns, and always kept out of reach of the young sportsman, whoat last stopped suddenly in front of a shrub. When I joined him, he wascontemplating three little nests, fixed in forked branches, and coveredoutside with green and yellow lichens. 

"There's the bird!" said Lucien, in a low voice. 

I lifted up the little naturalist; two hen-birds flew off, and at thebottom of each nest he could see a couple of eggs of a greenish color, and about the size of a pea. 

"If you hold me a little closer, papa, I can take the eggs. "

"What would be the good, my boy? Look at them as long as you like, butdon't deprive the little birds of what is most dear to them. "

"There's one bird which has not moved, " observed Lucien. 

"Then, no doubt, its little ones are hatched. "

"The whole of its body seems to glitter; it looks as if it was blue, green, and gold color. It sees me, and is moving. Now it is perched uponthe tree! Only look, papa! there are two young ones in the bottom of thenest. "

I put Lucien down on the ground, so that he might go to l'Encuerado, whowas calling him. The Indian had found a humming-bird's nest fixed on abranch, which he had cut off and was bringing us. The elegant littlestructure was a perfect marvel of architectural skill, lined inside withthe silky down of some plant. Two young birds, still unfledged, andscarcely as big as nuts, opened their beaks as if to ask for food. Idirected l'Encuerado to replace the branch on the tree from whence hehad cut it, and to fasten it so that it could not fall down. I followedhim, to make sure he did it rightly. As soon as we came near the shrub, the mother fluttered all round the Indian, and at last settled down, panting, on her young brood. 

"You're a brave bird!" cried the Indian, "and I ask your pardon forhaving carried away your house. Don't be afraid, my name is l'Encuerado, and you may safely trust in me. Don't tremble! I would sooner be hurtmyself than cause you the least harm. There, now you are all firmlyfixed again, and you may live in peace. Your little ones can tell youthat I have not teased them; I only wanted to show them to Chanito. Good-bye, Señor _Huitzitzilin_! you are a brave bird, and it's I, l'Encuerado, who tells you so!"

And the Indian went away, saluting the valiant mother with so many wavesof his hat that the poor bird must have thought her last hour had come. 

"What do these beautiful little birds feed upon, M. Sumichrast?"

"On the juices of flowers and small insects. Look! there is onehovering, and its wings are moving too fast for us to see them. Don'tstir! I see a branch so covered with blue flowers that it can hardlyfail to attract the bird. Now it is settled above one of the corollas, and plunges its head into it without ceasing to beat with its wings. Itscloven tongue soon sucks out the honey concealed in the flower, and itslittle ones will greet it when it gets back with open beaks to receivetheir share of the spoil. "

"They are funny birds, those, " said l'Encuerado to Lucien. "In threemonths--that is, in October--they will go to sleep, and will not wake uptill April. "

"Is that true, father?"

"I rather fancy that they migrate. "

[Illustration: "And the Indian went away, saluting. "]

"Now don't teach Chanito wrongly, " said l'Encuerado, repeating acommon phrase of mine; "the _huitzitzilins_ do not migrate; they go tosleep. "

"This fact has been so often related to me by Indians living in thewoods, " said my friend, "that I feel almost disposed to believe it. "

"Don't they say the same of the bats and swallows? and yet we know theychange their habitat. "

"Yes; but with regard to humming-birds, they assert that they have seenthem asleep. At all events, it is certain that they disappear in thewinter. "

The clucking of a bird of the gallinaceous order, called thehocco--_Crax alector_--interrupted our discussion, and my two companionscarefully proceeded towards a dark-foliaged tree, a little outside theedge of the forest. The clucking suddenly ceased; we heard the report ofa gun, and I saw three of them fly away into the forest. L'Encuerado wasclimbing a tree when I came up, for the bird he had shot had lodgedamong the branches. 

"Do you see the long pods which hang on that tree?" cried Lucien. 

"It is a locust-tree covered with fruit, " said my friend; "it is arelation of the bean and the pea. "

"Are the pods eatable?" asked the child, as one fell at his feet. 

"You may taste the dark pulp which surrounds the seeds--it is slightlysweet; but don't eat too much, for it is used in Europe as a medicine. "

L'Encuerado dropped at our feet the great bird which Sumichrast hadkilled. It was larger in size than a fowl, with a crest upon its head. Its cry--a sort of clucking of which its Spanish name gives anidea--tells the traveller its whereabout, although it is ready enough inmaking its escape. 

L'Encuerado returned to the bivouac, and Sumichrast led us along theedge of a ravine, obstructed by bushes and shaded by large trees. 

We had been quietly on the watch for a minute or two, when three youngwolves, of the species called by the Indians _coyotes_, came running by, one after the other. They were soon followed by a fourth, and then themother herself appeared. She glared at us with her fiery eyes, and thenraised a dull, yelping noise, which brought her young ones to her. 

"Upon my word!" exclaimed Sumichrast, "does this wretch intend to giveus a present to her children?"

I stuck my _machete_ into the ground, so as to have it at hand; and thebrute lay down on the ground, as if ready to spring. 

"Now then, my fine lady, come and meddle with us if you dare!" mutteredmy friend, imitating l'Encuerado's tone. 

The _coyote_ uttered a shrill cry, and almost immediately a sixth cameand stood by her. 

"Don't fire till I tell you, " said I to Lucien, who seemed as bold aspossible. 

"You take the dog-wolf, " cried Sumichrast to me; "but we won't provokethe contest. "

Seeing us evince no fear, the brutes suddenly made off. Sumichrastdescended to the bottom of the ravine, and then called me. I noticedamong the high grass the entrance of a burrow strewed with whitenedbones. Two yards farther on I saw the head of one of the animals, witheyes glittering like a cat's, glaring out of the entrance of anotherburrow. I threw a stone at the beast, which, far from showing any fear, curled up its lips and showed us a very perfect set of teeth. 

[Illustration: "I threw a stone at the beast. "]

As it was by no means our intention to make war upon wolves, I returnedto the plain with Lucien, who had shown no ordinary coolness. I wasglad of it, for my great wish was to inure him to danger, and I fearedthe Indian's misadventure with the otter might have had a bad influence. 

"Didn't those wolves frighten you?" asked my friend of the boy. 

"A little--especially their eyes, which seemed to dart fire. "

"And what should you have done if they had sprung at us?"

"I should have aimed at them as straight as I could; but wolves are muchbraver than I thought. "

"They were anxious to protect their young ones, and their den being sonear made them all the bolder. "

When l'Encuerado heard that we had _coyotes_ near us, he made up asecond fire for the night. The eastern sky was beginning to grow pale, and as we were supping we saw the paroquets in couples flying over ourheads towards the forest. Humming-birds were flitting in everydirection, and flocks of other passerines flew from one bush to another. When they offered to perch near our bivouac, l'Encuerado requested themin polite terms to settle a little farther away, and, on their refusal, urged his request by throwing a stone at them, which but rarely failedin its purpose. The sun set, and the mountains stood out in black reliefagainst the pink sky. 

The moon now rose, and I can hardly describe the marvellous effects oflight produced by its rays on the sierras. L'Encuerado had made a secondfire, and had taken Gringalet aside to insist upon his not roamingbeyond the ground illuminated by its flame, telling him that the_coyotes_, which would doubtless pass the night in prowling round ourbivouac, were very fond of dogs' flesh. As if to add weight to thisprudent advice, a prolonged howling was now heard, which the dog feltobliged to respond to in his most doleful notes. 

"Oh!" cried Sumichrast, "are those beasts going to join in the concertmade by the grasshoppers and mosquitoes?"

Lucien, who had gone to sleep, started up. 

"Where's my parrot?" he cried. 

"Sleep quietly, Chanito!" replied the Indian. "It is roasted, and weshall eat it to-morrow morning at breakfast. "

This reply and Lucien's disappointed face much amused us. L'Encuerado'sfault was too much zeal: not knowing that Sumichrast was going to skinthe bird, he had sacrificed it. In order to repair his error, hepromised Lucien hundreds of parrots of every color; so he went to sleepand dreamed of forests full of birds of the most brilliant plumage. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXVI. 

THE PATH THROUGH THE FOREST. --A FORCED MARCH. --THEBROMELACEÆ. --MOSQUITOES. --THE WATER-PLANT. --THE PROMISED LAND. --A BANDOF MONKEYS. 

Gringalet's barking, the yelping of the coyotes, the heat, the song ofthe grasshoppers, and the sting of the mosquitoes, all combined todisturb our rest. About five o'clock the sun rose radiant, and wasgreeted by the cardinals, trogons, and parrots. Lucien was aroused byall these fresh sounds, and his eyes rested for some time on the wall ofverdure which seemed to bar the entrance of the forest. A cloud ofvariegated butterflies drew his attention for an instant; but he wassoon absorbed in contemplating the humming-birds with their emerald, purple, and azure plumage. 

L'Encuerado, whose arm was now completely healed, had again takenpossession of the load, and Sumichrast commenced cutting the creepers inorder to open a path. I relieved him every now and then in this hardwork, and Lucien availed himself of the moments when we stopped forbreath to have a cut at the great vegetable screen which nature placesat the entrance of virgin forests, as if to show that there is within itan unknown world to conquer. Unfortunately, the small height of the boyrendered his work useless; but he at least evinced a desire to take hispart of the labor. At last the thick wall of vegetable growth waspassed, and we found ourselves in a semi-obscurity, caused by the shadeof gigantic trees. 

"Are we now in a virgin forest?" asked Lucien. 

"No, for we are only just entering it, " I replied. 

"But the ground is so bare; there are no more creepers, and the treeslook as if they were arranged in lines. "

"What did you expect to meet with?"

"Plants all entangled together, birds, monkeys, and tigers. "

"Your ideal menagerie will, perhaps, make its appearance subsequently. As for the entangled plants, if the whole forest was full of them, itwould be absolutely impenetrable. The soil is bare because the trees areso bushy that no rays of the sun can penetrate, and many plants witherand die in the shade; but whenever we come upon a glade, you will findthe earth covered with grass and shrubs. "

"Then the forests of the _Terre-Tempérée_ are more beautiful than thoseof the _Terre-Chaude_?"

"You judge too hastily, " replied Sumichrast; "wait till our path leadsalong the edge of some stream. "

"All right, " muttered the boy, shaking his head and turning towards hisfriend; "the woods we have gone through are much more pleasant. It is sosilent, and the boughs are so high that we might fancy we were in achurch. "

The boy's remark was far from incorrect. The dark arches of theintersecting branches, the black soil formed by the accumulatedvegetable _débris_ of perhaps five or six thousand years, the dimobscurity scarcely penetrated by the sunlight making its way through thedark foliage--all combined to imbue the mind with a kind of vaguemelancholy. The limited prospect and the profound silence (for birdsrarely venture into this forest-ocean) also tend to fill the soul withgloomy thoughts, and prove that health of mind as well as of bodydepends upon light. 

A furnace-like heat compelled us to keep silence, and tree succeededtree with sad monotony. The moist soil gave way under our feet, andretained the traces of our footsteps. At a giddy height above our headsthe dark foliage of the spreading branches entirely obscured the sky. Every now and then I gave a few words of encouragement to Lucien, whowas walking behind me quite overcome with the heat; especially, Irecommended him not to drink, in the first place, because the water mustbe economized, and next because it would only stimulate his thirst. 

"Then we shall never drink any more, " said the boy. 

"Oh yes! Chanito, " rejoined the Indian, "when we form our bivouac, Ishall make plenty of coffee, and if you sip it, in a quarter of an houryour thirst will be quenched. "

"Then I hope we shall soon reach our bivouac, " said Lucien, mournfully. 

If I had consulted my own feelings, I should now have given the word tohalt; but reason and experience enabled me to resist the desire. Itwould really be better for Lucien to suffer for a short time than for usto lose several hours, especially if we failed to find the stream wewere seeking. It was necessary to cross without delay the inhospitableforest which we had entered, instead of waiting until hunger and thirstimperiously cried--Onward! when perhaps we might be too exhausted tomove. 

The ground became undulating, and I hastened forward, thinking to meetwith what we wished for, when a glade, which enabled us to catch aglimpse of the sun, enlivened us a little. Here there was some grass, and a few shrubs and creepers. I called Lucien to show him what to uswas a new plant, the _Bromelia pinguin_ of botanists. 

Its ripe pink fruit was symmetrically placed in a circle of greenleaves. Lucien, kneeling down, tried to pluck them. 

"Pull one from the middle, Chanito, " cried l'Encuerado; "that's the onlyway to get them. "

The boy seized the centre berry, which came out, and, like the stones ofan arch when the key-stone is taken out, all the cones fell. Under theirthick husk there was a white, acid, melting pulp, well adapted to quenchthe thirst; but I recommended Lucien not to eat more than two or threeof them. A second clump, a little farther on, enabled us to gather agood stock of them. Providence could not have placed in our path a morevaluable plant, for the hundreds of cones which we had gathered wouldenable us to brave the necessities of thirst for two or three days. Wenow walked on at a quicker pace, and Lucien, a little refreshed, kepthis place courageously by my side. 

"Well!" said I, "you must confess now that virgin forests may havesomething good in them. How do you like the _timbirichis_?"

"They are excellent; what family do they belong to?"

"They are akin to the pine-apples, and therefore belong to the_bromelaceæ_. "

"But the pine-apple is a large fruit, which grows simply on its stalk. "

"Yes, so it appears; but in reality it is formed by an assemblage ofberries all joined together. The strawberry, which belongs to the rosefamily, is similarly formed, and few people would believe, when theyswallow a single strawberry, that they have eaten thirty or fortyfruits. "

For an hour we scarcely exchanged a word, but walked silently on, soakedwith perspiration, and scarcely able to breathe the heated air. 

"I think there is a glade, " murmured Lucien, pointing to the left. 

"So there is; forward! forward!"

Five minutes after we reached an open spot bathed in sunshine amidst athicket of tree-ferns and high grass. The trees, placed more widelyapart, were covered with gigantic creepers drooping to the ground. Herewe again heard the note of the hocco. 

While I was clearing the ground, Sumichrast and l'Encuerado took up aposition amidst the bushes. I gave some water to Gringalet, whose tonguehung out, for he had possibly suffered most, as he would not eat thefruit which afforded us relief. 

Two shots were fired shortly afterwards; but the sportsmen soon returnedwith such a disappointed air that I felt sure they had beenunsuccessful. 

I made a joke of the matter, and pretended that the dry maize-cakes werebetter than the fattest turkey. I spoke with such apparent seriousnessthat my companions began to get animated, and a sharp controversy gave azest to our frugal meal. I asserted, too, that the tepid water in ourgourds surpassed in flavor the product of the coolest spring, and thatthe acid _timbirichi_ was the best of fruits. Gradually, however, I gaveway, and at bed-time pretended to be quite converted. I had amused ourparty, and that was all I wanted. 

The night passed without any incident save the continued attacks ofmosquitoes, and the unfortunate Gringalet pressing close to us to avoidthe cruel stings of the blood-thirsty insects which much annoyed him. 

At sunrise I gave the word to start, and all day long we met with noglade to give variety to our path. I could not help admiring Lucien, who, although suffering from heat, fatigue, and thirst, uttered not onecomplaint, but only looked at me with a sad face. Two or three times Itried to enliven him; the poor little fellow then shook his troublesomeburden and smiled back so painfully that I was quite affected. L'Encuerado, overwhelmed by his basket, puffed noisily, and declaredevery now and then that he could sniff the river and the smell of thecrocodiles. This nonsense enlivened our march a little; but soon, dulland silent, we resumed our sluggish pace. At last fatigue compelled usto halt, when Lucien and l'Encuerado went off to sleep, quite forgettingtheir suppers. I proposed to Sumichrast to regain as soon as we couldthe mountain path. 

"Let us keep on one day more, " said my friend; "we have still fourbottles of water left, and even if we give Lucien and Gringalet thelargest share, it will serve us for another twenty-four hours. "

The next day, just as we were starting, l'Encuerado killed a hocco. Thefire was soon lighted, and the game washed down with a mouthful ofbrandy, which somewhat restored our energy. About midday, when the heatwas most intense, the aspect of the ground altered, the trees becamewider apart, and our strength seemed to redouble. 

"Now, Master Sunbeam!" cried Sumichrast, "lengthen your strides alittle, if you please; don't you hear the murmur of a stream?"

"Three days you've been telling me this story, so that now bothGringalet and I are skeptical. "

"How will you behave when you cross the savannahs?"

"Just as at present. I would walk without drinking, so as not to excitemy thirst, " replied the child archly, who had failed to be convinced byour reasoning. 

"Oh, come! I thought you were too ill for irony. Never mind, I can bearwitness that you have behaved like a man. What do your legs say?"

"That they would be very willing to rest. "

"You would like to find yourself at Orizava?"

"I should rather see a stream, an alligator, and a puma. "

"You are most unreasonable. I should be contented with the stream. "

"Don't you find that the mosquitoes in the _Terre-Chaude_ bite muchsharper than those in the _Terre-Tempérée_?" asked the boy, addressingl'Encuerado. 

"No, Chanito; they are all alike, for they belong to the same family, asyour papa says. "

"Then they must be more numerous here, for every instant one receives afresh pinch. "

"You must not complain yet, Chanito; you'll see what it will be when wereach the stream. "

"How will it be then?"

"We shall not be able to open our mouths without swallowing some ofthese blood-suckers. But, Chanito, do you know what these mosquitoesare?"

"Yes, papa told me yesterday that they were _diptera_, and relations ofthe gadflys. Their proboscis is a kind of sheath inclosing six lancets, by the help of which they pierce our skin and suck our blood. "

"But where do these hungry wretches come from?"

"From the water, where the insect lays its eggs. You know those littleworms which are constantly moving up and down in pools; they are thelarvæ of the mosquito. "

"The mosquito, that terrible scourge of the _Terre-Tempérée_ and the_Terre-Chaude_, renders these regions inaccessible to the inhabitants ofthe _Terre-Froide_. They can not get accustomed to their bites, whichcover their bodies with large red pustules, causing fever and want ofsleep, and giving the victims the appearance of having just recoveredfrom small-pox. "

Again we walked on without talking, for the heat dried up our throats. Suddenly some singular cries reached our ears. 

"The clucking of an oscillated turkey!" cried Sumichrast. 

L'Encuerado laid down his burden, and my two companions started off insearch of the birds. They joined us again in about a quarter of an hour, each carrying a fowl with metallic-colored plumage dotted over withspots, almost as large as a common turkey. It belongs to thegallinaceous order, and is only found amidst the forests of the NewWorld, particularly in Honduras. 

"Well!" cried Sumichrast, "we have plenty to eat now; but this is a birdwhich is found at a long distance from streams, and warns us toeconomize the contents of our gourds. "

Five hundred paces farther on we saw some stones covered with moss, andan enormous upright rock like a tower. We saluted the colossus withoutstopping to examine it, and lengthened our strides, although the ups anddowns in our path gradually became more numerous. Gringalet everyinstant raised his nose to sniff the air, and the hope of at lastemerging from the forest drew us forward with increased ardor, impelled, as we were, by the desire of at last finding the longed-for stream. Lucien actually mustered up a run, while his cheeks flushed and his eyesglistened with anticipation. 

"Here are grass and flowers! Forward! forward!" cried Sumichrast. 

"Forward!" Lucien re-echoed. 

The great trees, which were now farther apart, allowed the rays of thesun to penetrate the foliage, and the creepers drooped down in floweryfestoons. The convolvuluses, the ferns, and the parasites, all entangledtogether, compelled us to use our knives. A somewhat steep ascent, anxiously scaled, led us up to a plateau. In front of us stretched aprairie dotted over with thickets, and bordered with forests ofpalm-trees, laurels, magnolias, and mahogany-trees, from which soundedthe songs of various birds, mingled with the harsh cry of parrots. 

Panting, weary, and perfectly soaked with perspiration, I proposed tobivouac on the plateau. Indeed, the sun was setting, and we had onlyjust time to collect the wood we required for the fire. This taskfinished, I went and sat down with Lucien on the highest point we couldfind. The mountains of the _Terre-Tempérée_ showed against the horizon, although we were already at least fifteen leagues from them. We longlooked down on the tree-tops of the forest we had just crossed, and theuniformity of the dark-green foliage had a most gloomy aspect; and, while close round us there were a number of birds fluttering about thetrees, none of the feathered tribe ventured into the solitudes we had solately traversed. 

"I can not catch a sight of either rivulet or stream, " said Lucien. 

"Courage!" replied Sumichrast, who had seated himself by us. "The birdswhich are flying round us can not live without drinking, and their largenumber shows that there is plenty of water near. "

"Hiou! hiou! Chanito. "

"Ohé! ohé!" replied Lucien, darting to the place whence he heard thefamiliar cry. 

The two friends went down the hill together, l'Encuerado carrying hisenormous gourd. 

"Can he have discovered water?" said I to my companion, and I approachedthe fire where the game was roasting under the inspection of Gringalet. Sumichrast remained to look after the cooking of the birds, and Iovertook Lucien and the Indian just at the moment when they were bendingover a plant with scarlet-red leaves, which grew encircling the stem ofa magnolia. About a glassful of limpid fluid flowed from it into thecalabash. 

"Can we get water from this shrub by merely pressing it?" asked Lucien, with surprise. 

"All that is needed is to bend it, " I replied. "It treasures up theprecious dew between its leaves, and l'Encuerado and I should have diedof thirst in one of our expeditions if it had not been for this plant. "

"Why doesn't it grow in every forest?" asked Lucien. 

"Certainly, if it grew everywhere, one of the greatest obstacles totravelling in the wilderness would be removed. "

"And what's the name of this plant?"

"The Creoles call it the 'Easter flower;' it is one of the_bromelaceæ_. "

"Does it produce any fruit good to eat?"

"No, but in case of extreme necessity its large red leaves would appeasehunger. "

We reascended the hill, when an uproar proceeding from the edge of theforest reached our ears. L'Encuerado smiled, showing us the double rangeof his white teeth. 

"See down there, " he said to Lucien, pointing to a corner of the wood, away from which all the birds seemed to be flying. 

There was a whole tribe of monkeys frolicking about among the creepers. 

"Let us go and look at them more closely, " said Lucien. 

[Illustration: "There was a whole tribe of monkeys frolicking about. "]

"It is too late now, Chanito; they have just been drinking, and willsoon go to sleep; but we shall eat some of them to-morrow--and now oursupper is waiting for us. "

We finished our meal, and when the sun was setting we saw the paroquetsfly by in couples, and humming-birds flitting about among the bushes;suddenly a formidable roaring made us all tremble. 

"Oh! what is that dreadful noise?" cried Lucien. 

"A tiger!" said l'Encuerado, whose eyes glittered with excitement. 

"Not a tiger, but a jaguar (_Leopardus onca_), " said I; "the formeranimal is found only in the Old World. "

The king of the American forests again saluted the setting sun. Gringalet, with his tail between his legs, came crouching down close tous; a second fire was lighted, and we lay down to sleep with theindifference which familiarity gives even in regard to the very greatestdangers. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXVII. 

L'ENCUERADO AND THE PARROTS. --GRINGALET MEETS A FRIEND. --THE COUGAR, ORAMERICAN LION. --A STREAM. --OUR "PALM-TREE VILLA. "--TURTLES' EGGS. --THETANTALUS. --HERONS AND FLAMINGOES. 

The parrots that we heard chattering were quite sufficient to wake us upin the morning. The sun rose red and angry; a perfect concert soongreeted its appearance. The hoccos set up their sonorous clucking, andbirds of every kind came fluttering round us. Lucien, now reconciled tothe virgin forests, was never tired of admiring the varieties of trees, shrubs, or bushes, and the infinite number of the winged inhabitantswhich enliven them. We slowly descended into the plain; even now theheat was too much for us, and long marches would soon be impossible. Aflock of cardinals, with crested heads, flew around us and settled on amagnolia, which then looked as if it was covered with purple flowers. Farther on, some paroquets, no bigger than sparrows, greeted us withtheir varied cries. L'Encuerado, after tossing his head several times, and shrugging his shoulders, at last stopped, and could not refrain fromanswering them. 

"Come and carry it yourselves!" he cried; "come and carry it yourselves, and prove that you are stronger than a man!"

"What are you asking the birds to do?" demanded Lucien. 

"They are making fun of my load, Chanito; a set of lazy fellows, who allof them together would not be able to move it!"

Sumichrast made his way into the forest, cutting away the creepers withhis _machete_ in order to clear a passage. In less than an hour we hadcrossed five or six glades. Suddenly I noticed that Gringalet haddisappeared. I called him, and a distant barking answered me. 

"Can he have met with a stream?" said Sumichrast. 

I advanced in the direction in which I had heard the voice of ourfour-footed companion, and suddenly came upon him baying furiously at ayoung cougar, which Sumichrast ran towards, but the animal fled into thewood. 

"Where did you turn out this fellow, Gringalet?" asked l'Encuerado, quite seriously. "Don't trust too much to his friendship, for it mightbe the worse for you; lions seldom fondle any thing without hurting it. "

"Was it a lion?" asked Lucien. 

"Yes, " I answered; "but an American lion, or cougar, known by _savants_as the _Felis puma_. "

"How I should like to have seen it! Had it a mane?"

"No; the puma is without one. "

We were crossing another glade, when Gringalet suddenly rushed betweenour legs. On looking back, I saw the puma slyly following us. 

"Well, upon my word!" said Sumichrast; "does this fellow want to provethat a cougar will attack a man?"

L'Encuerado, who had put down his load, was already aiming at theanimal. 

"Don't shoot!" I cried, authoritatively. 

The puma did not advance any farther, but glared at us with its yelloweyes, its tail lashing its sides with a measured movement, while itdisplayed a formidable row of tusks. Suddenly it stretched itself alongthe ground, as if about to play. Lucien was now able to examineleisurely the beautiful tawny color of its coat. It surveyed us withsuch a quiet, gentle aspect, that it seemed as if it belonged to ourparty, even pushing its confidence so far as to begin its toilet byfirst licking its paws, and then rubbing them over its muzzle. 

I gave the word for continuing our journey. L'Encuerado obeyed veryreluctantly. After this rencontre I placed Lucien, who congratulatedhimself upon having had such a near view of the beautiful animal, in themiddle of the party. 

"If we don't eat the lion, it will eat us, " said the Indian. "If we hadonly wounded it, it would have gone and told all its companions that itwas any thing but prudent to go too close to our fire. "

"Well, if it comes near us again, I give you leave to shoot it. "

"You do? it's a bargain!" cried L'Encuerado. "Stop a minute, TataSumichrast; cock your gun, Chanito; you shall have the first shot. "

We stood together in a group, and I looked in vain for the cougar. 

[Illustration: "I looked in vain for the cougar. "]

"The rascal has got in front of us, " added the Indian. "We'll astonishhim in a moment. Come this way, Chanito, but don't run or turn round. Doyou see that tree that stands in front of us? Not so far that way--thatone we were just going to pass under. Look at the wonderful fruit it hason it!"

"It is the puma!" exclaimed the boy. 

"That's pleasant!" muttered Sumichrast. "Then there are two pumas. "

"No, no, Tata Sumichrast, it is the same one. Aim between its eyes, Chanito; fire!"

There were two reports almost at the same moment, and the animal tumbleddown upon the ground without uttering a cry. 

"Don't be too quick, Chanito, " continued the Indian; "this is not awater-dog; always reload your gun, whether the enemy be dead or not, before you trust yourself within its reach. "

Gringalet ventured to bark round the beast, and I kept in readiness toshoot, while my companions cautiously advanced. The cougar had beenstruck in the forehead, and no longer breathed. It was about three feetin length, and its hair, which was slightly waved on some parts of itsbody, showed it was a young one. The Indian raised the animal's enormoushead. 

"Come, " he said, "you deserve to die like a warrior. You are the firstof your race which ever ventured so close to my gun. Was it Chanito youwanted to devour?"

"I think it much more probable that it wanted Gringalet; what a pity itis that we can't tame these beautiful cats!"

"Cats!" repeated Lucien. 

"Yes, to be sure; the great African lion itself is nothing but thelargest and strongest of all the cat tribe. Didn't you know that?"

"I thought the lion was a beast by itself; but, at all events, it is theking of mammals?"

"It is rightly thought to be the strongest of all the carnivora: itshead, which it carries upright, and its beautiful mane, give it amajestic appearance. With regard to its reputation for generosity, Iscarcely know what it is founded on; I fancy that the famous lion ofAndrocles had just enjoyed a plentiful meal when it spared the life ofits benefactor. "

It was no use to think of skinning our victim, for the flies werealready swarming on the dead body, although it was still warm. L'Encuerado wished to attribute to Lucien the honor of killing the puma;but the boy, although he had always longed to achieve such a feat, saidat once that he had missed his aim. 

I stopped in front of a tree (_hymenæa_) belonging to the leguminousfamily, the pods of which contain a sweet pulp, and from its trunk oozesout a resin, which is much sought after by the Indians, who use it as acure for stomach-ache. A little farther on, a mango-tree temptedl'Encuerado, who, like all his countrymen, was fond of its fruit. Idisliked the nauseous smell and taste of them, which reminds me ofturpentine, although in some countries, where care is taken in theircultivation, they are said to be delicious. 

Sumichrast, who was our guide, had to open a passage for us through aperfect net-work of purple-flowered creepers. I helped him in his work, and when we had overcome this obstacle, we found ourselves in a smallplain, in the middle of which rose a clump of palm-trees. Gringalet ranoff to the right, and soon returned with his muzzle all wet. Lucien, whowas in front of us, first reached what was a wide, deep, andslowly-flowing stream. At this sight, l'Encuerado turned three somersetsin succession, and struck up a chant; our manifestations of delight, ifless noisy than his, were, at all events, no less sincere. 

[Illustration: "L'Encuerado turned three somersets. "]

A gentle breeze was blowing, while the air was cool and soft; so that, forgetful of the past, and sanguine for the future, we built ourbivouac. While at work, our eyes were attracted on every side by theinsects and birds, whose splendid colors literally enamelled the treesin which every shade of green blended harmoniously. It would bedifficult to describe the wild grandeur of the scene around us. We mighthave fancied we were in one of those marvellous gardens which Arabianstory-tellers delight in depicting. The roaring of some wild beastreminded us that our fire was nearly out. At last I set the example ofgoing to rest. We intended to pass three or four days in this spot, asit was so favorable to our pursuits. 

"Nobody can accuse us of being too fond of rest, " said my friend; "thisis the 20th of April; therefore we have now been travellinguninterruptedly forty days. "

The next day at dawn I set off with Sumichrast on an exploringexpedition, leaving Lucien still fast asleep. We returned, about eleveno'clock, with a dozen birds, among which we had a greenish-yellowwoodpecker, with a bright red tuft on its head; also a _Cuculus vetula_, a species of cuckoo, which feeds on lizards and young serpents. 

During our absence, l'Encuerado had cut down three palm-trees andhollowed out the lower part of the trunks, in order to collect theirsweet sap. He also wove a sort of palisade of creepers round severalthick stakes, in which we could sleep without fear of surprise. In ahole near the top of one of the palm-trees, Lucien spied out a parrot'snest, and had taken possession of two young birds, red, green, andyellow in color, which seemed to adapt themselves wonderfully to theattentions lavished upon them by the boy. 

"What are you going to do with these poor orphans?" I asked. 

"I am going to take them home to my brother and sister. L'Encuerado saysthat they would perch on the edge of his load. "

"How shall you feed them?"

"With fruit, and sometimes with meat. M. Sumichrast said yesterday thatthey would eat any thing that was given to them. I have already namedthem 'Verdet' and 'Janet. '"

"They will be sure to get within reach of Gringalet; are you sure thathe will leave them alone?"

"L'Encuerado has already given him a lecture about it. "

"Still I am very much afraid that 'Verdet' and 'Janet' will come to anuntimely end. "

While we were resting, Lucien and his friend went off to examine acaoutchouc-tree. The boy came back much disappointed. 

"Your India-rubber-tree isn't worth much, " said he to Sumichrast, showing him a thick white liquid, which he had just collected. 

"And pray why not?"

"Because India-rubber ought to be black and dry. "

"It will acquire these qualities as it grows older. The India-rubberoozes from the tree in the form of a milky liquid, like that with whichyou are now smearing your fingers. "

About three o'clock, when the sun was shining perpendicularly down uponus, I conducted my companions through the thickets, in order to explorethe course of the river. Very soon we were obliged to cut our way withour _machetes_, and several reptiles made off before our approach. Gradually, as we advanced, the bank became covered with swamp ivy, bignonias, and cedar-trees, till we at last came out on a sandy shore, where five or six turtles were apparently asleep. In spite of all ourexertions, the creatures reached the stream. L'Encuerado discovered twolittle heaps of sand, one of which was still unfinished, and containedtwenty eggs about as big as chestnuts, and covered with a whitish skin. A little farther on, Lucien caught a small red turtle, the size of acrown-piece. On hearing from l'Encuerado that it would live several dayswithout eating, he made up his mind to take it home with him, and gaveit the name of "Rougette. "

Gringalet began growling; a deer had just shown its graceful form amongthe branches. We all concealed ourselves as well as we could, and whenthe beautiful animal came down to the water Sumichrast shot it dead. Ileft l'Encuerado to help the sportsman in skinning our prize, and wenton with Lucien. The stream gradually became wider, and we suddenly foundourselves fronting an immense flooded plain, above which flocks of wildducks were circling. 

I sat down on the ground in order to admire the lake and its banks, edged with royal palm-trees, the foliage of which, though dark at thebase, is a beautiful green at the summit. The appearance of awater-eagle, with its grayish-white head, disturbed the aquatic fowls;as if by enchantment, some of them hid among the rushes, but the bird ofprey passed over without taking any notice of such game, which itdoubtless considered unworthy of itself. A tantalus settled down atabout twenty paces from us, and plunged into the stream and remainedmotionless. 

"Oh papa! what a curious bird! it looks as if it had a bald head. "

"You are quite right; it is the bird that the Indians call _galambao_. "

"It's almost as tall as I am!"

"Don't you see that it is mounted upon long legs like stilts?" repliedI, laughing. "It is a relation of the stork. "

"This is the first bird of that kind we have met with. "

"These long-legged birds, or waders as they are called, are scarcelyever found except in marshes, or on the banks of large rivers. They canalways be recognized by their legs, which are of an enormous length, anddevoid of feathers below the knee--a conformation which enables them tocapture their prey in shallow water. "

"Is this tantalus going to fish?"

"I should imagine so, for birds of its order have no other means ofobtaining food. "

"One might almost fancy that it was asleep, with its great bill droopingdown over its chest. "

"Woe be to the fish that is of your opinion. There! did you remark itssudden movement? It plunges its head down into the water like a flash oflightning; and now you can see it holds its prey in its beak. Now it isspreading its short black-edged wings in order to take flight, anddivide among its young brood the products of its labors. Do you see thatbeautiful large bird with a tuft on its forehead? That is the _Ardeaagami_, a wader of the heron genus. But look, there is a flock ofegretts (_Egretta alba_), clothed in their plumage as white as theermine. They fly about in flocks, but separate for their fishing. Thesebirds have rather a grave and sad air, and utter now and then a wild andplaintive cry. "

We stopped to watch these waders gloomily standing in the water, untilwe heard l'Encuerado's "Hiou! hiou!" informing us that our companionswere approaching the bivouac. I took Lucien through the forest, replyingto his numerous questions about the Grallatores, when we heard thechattering and clatter produced by a band of monkeys. About twenty wildturkeys, doubtless frightened by the noise, rushed between our legs. Ilet the poor fugitives go, for we had already more victuals than wecould consume. Lucien wondered at the number of animated beings whichsurrounded us, all the more surprising when compared with the gloomysolitude we had just passed through. 

"In the _Terre-Chaude_, " said I, "the water-side is always fertile, forthe inhabitants both of the prairies and the forests meet there. "

"Why don't the Mexicans live in such a varied and beautiful country asthe _Terre-Chaude_?"

[Illustration]

"Because a dragon guards the entrance to these countries where naturelavishes its choicest gifts. "

"A dragon?"

"Yes; the yellow fever. A terrible malady which corrupts the blood, andselects the most robust frames for its victims. The negro only can laborunder this burning sun; where even an Indian is overcome by the marshfever. "

"Are we liable to catch these fevers?"

"We should be in danger if we staid here till the rainy season. "

"How that tree is loaded with fruit!" said Lucien, interrupting me. 

"They are the Mexican medlars. To-morrow we will come and gather some ofthem. Five or six different species of their genus grow in these virginforests. These beautiful trees produce various fruit, which is more orless in request. That which has attracted your attention--the _Sapotaachras_--is especially well known. It is considered the most wholesomeof all the tropical fruits; and from the trunk of the tree oozes out thewhite gum called _chicle_, which the inhabitants of the _Terre-Chaude_and the _Terre-Tempérée_ are so fond of chewing. "

The night overtook us just as we were discussing a haunch of venisonroasted by l'Encuerado. A distant roaring told us that we weresurrounded by wild beasts; but we had every confidence in our two firesand the screen which l'Encuerado had constructed; so we went quietly tosleep, although we were awakened several times by a renewal of theirfrightful uproar. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

A GROVE OF LOGWOOD TREES. --ANTS AT THEIR WORK. --PARASITIC INSECTS. --THEGREAT ANT-EATER. --SPOONBILLS AND HERONS. --LOST IN THE FOREST. 

We were all stirring by sunrise. After throwing away the remains ofyesterday's meat, one night in this climate being enough to putrefy it, l'Encuerado arranged some fishing-lines along the stream, and our littleparty set off, struggling against the heat, the mosquitoes, and thehorse-flies. 

The Indian, following the flight of a purple-feathered bird, led usclose to an immense ant-hill. The little colony seemed very busy; but Ihurried Lucien away, fearing he might be bitten by them. 

"The ants are relations of the termites, are they not, M. Sumichrast?"

"No, Master Sunbeam; the ants are relations of the bees, and, consequently, belong to the order of _Hymenoptera_. There are male, female, and neuter or working ants. The males and females are born withwings; but after the females have laid their eggs, they drop off theseappendages, and assist the workers engaged in constructing thehabitation, taking care of the young ones, and collecting the provisionsrequired for the colony. "

"Look here! one might fancy that the very grass was walking along. "

"It is the ants which have stripped a tree of its leaves, in order tohoard them up in their store-houses--a useless precaution, for theseinsects become torpid during the winter months. "

Lucien approached the moving column, which was divided into two linesgoing contrary ways; one of them advancing loaded with vegetableremains, and the other going back with empty mandibles. Nothing could bemore interesting than to see thousands of these little creatures walkingalong in perfect order, eagerly carrying or dragging a load five or sixtimes greater than themselves. Lucien followed them. The column enteredthe forest, and crawled up a tree, the lower limbs of which were alreadystripped of their leaves, causing it to look as if it were dead. Theants climbed nearer and nearer to the top, and the summit was visiblylosing its foliage. 

"How long will they take to carry away all the leaves off that greattree?" asked Lucien. 

"They will have finished their work by this evening, " I answered. 

Gringalet, who with generous confidence was lying down a few stepsbehind us, and had not seen his enemies creeping slyly over him, got upand began howling. 

"Will you never be prudent?" cried l'Encuerado. 

[Illustration: "It stood up on its hind legs. "]

"Any one must be as simple as a new-born infant to squat on an anthill. This is the second time you have done it. "

Here the advice-giver was suddenly interrupted; he made a face, liftedup one of his legs, and walked away with long strides; then he sat downon the ground in order to catch the ants which had secreted themselvesunder his leathern shirt. I could not help laughing at him. 

"Look here, Gringalet's skin is all over lumps!" said Lucien, strokingthe animal. 

"They are caused by parasitic insects, " said Sumichrast, "called ticks. In future we must clear Gringalet every evening of these inconvenientvisitors. "

"But they won't come off. "

"Pull them suddenly; their mouth is a kind of disk armed with two hooks, which, if once buried in an animal's skin, are difficult to extract. "

"How hideous they look with their little legs placed close to theirheads; here is one which is quite round, like a pea. "

"It is because it has begun its meal. "

"Does the tick only attack dogs?"

"The dog has his own peculiar species; other kinds lodge under birds'feathers, and some birds have two or three sorts of parasites. There isone belonging to the turkey, to the peacock, to the sparrow, to thevulture, to the magpie, etc. I don't think there is a bird or animalwhich does not, like Gringalet, possess its own peculiar parasite. "

We had started off again, and another glade led us towards a fieldextensively ploughed up by moles. 

Sumichrast led the way, and conducted us towards the lake I hadmentioned to him the day before. L'Encuerado caught hold of my arm tocall my attention to an enormous animal moving about in the midst of thefoliage. 

The animal came down slowly, and we could only see it indistinctly. Atlast it reached the lower branches. It was an ant-eater (_Myrmecophagajub[=a]t[=a]_). It remained motionless for an instant, moving itsenormous muzzle, and darting out its flat tongue, which, being coveredwith a slimy coating, enabled it to catch up the ants with facility. Atlength the "bear, " as it is called by the Indians, slid down the trunk, hanging on to it with its enormous claws, its prehensile tail stronglyclinging to the sides of the tree. 

At the sight of this shapeless beast, only fifty paces from us, Lucienrushed to me in terror. Sumichrast had just cocked his gun, and thenoise made the ant-eater turn tail and prepare to run off, when it founditself face to face with l'Encuerado. It stood up on its hind legs, withits snout in the air, and then stretched out its arms ready to strikeany one who was imprudent enough to come within reach of them. Nothingcould be more strange than the appearance of the animal in thisdefensive position. Suddenly a shot was fired, and the ant-eater crossedits fore legs and fell down dead. L'Encuerado had once been nearlythrottled by an ant-eater, and hence it would have been of no use for meto have attempted to prevent his shooting it. 

"Do not come near, Tata Sumichrast, " cried the Indian; "these beasts dievery hard, and I still bear the marks of their claws on my skin. Let mejust tickle him up with the point of my _machete_. "

"You need not have been afraid, " said Sumichrast; "its ugliness is noproof that it is vicious. It will not attack human beings, and onlymakes use of its strength to defend itself. It is of the order Edentala, and akin to the armadilloes. "

"Does it eat any thing but ants?" asked Lucien. 

[Illustration: "The bank to the right was covered with cranes, and thatto the left with spoonbills. "]

"Ants and other insects. It climbs trees, and its bushy taildistinguishes it from its brothers, the little ant-eater (_M. Dydactyla_), which seldom visits the ground, and eats more insects thanants, and the tamandua (_Tamandua tetradactyla_). "

"But how many ants does it take to satisfy it?"

"Thousands; and it would die of hunger if it had to take them one byone; but, thanks to the length of its tongue, it is enabled to pick uphundreds at a time. "

"What a very peculiar meal!"

"Didn't you know that some Indians are ant-eaters? In the_Terre-Froide_, for instance, dishes are made of red ants' eggs, andthere is one species which secretes a sweet liquid, of which childrenare very fond. "

On the shore of the lake a fresh surprise awaited us. The bank to theright was covered with cranes, and that to the left with spoonbills, with delicate pink plumage, one of which Lucien shot. 

"Oh, what beautiful birds!" said he. 

"What a curious beak!" he further exclaimed, examining his victim, whichGringalet had just brought him. 

"Yes, that is why this bird is called a spoonbill. "

"Is it good to eat?"

"It is rather tough; but when any one is hungry--"

Sumichrast put his finger to his lips to enjoin silence; two smallerwaders made their appearance and settled close to us. 

"Now, Master Sunbeam, " said Sumichrast, "fire at the bird to the left, while I aim at the one to the right. Those are egrets, and your sisterwill like some of their beautiful feathers to put in her hat. Now, then--one, two--fire!"

The two shots sounded almost at the same moment, and the birds fell overon to the ground. This double report put to flight all the spoonbillsand cranes, and the lake was soon perfectly deserted. 

We now took the road leading to the "Palm-tree Villa, " and l'Encueradowent on before us to take up his fishing-lines. 

The heat became perfectly overpowering, and Sumichrast fell asleep. About half-past three, I went off with Lucien towards that portion ofthe forest close by the stream, with the intention of collectinginsects. First one object, and then another tempted us into theinterior, till the oblique rays of the sun admonished us to turn back. But imagine my dismay when, by neglect not to notch the tree-trunks as Ipassed them, I discovered I did not know in what direction our camp lay. 

"Are we lost?" asked the boy, in an anxious tone. 

"We have gone too far, " said I to the lad; "and perhaps we shall not beable to get back to the 'Palm-tree Villa' this evening. I am going tofire off my gun to attract l'Encuerado's attention. "

The report resounded. I listened with an anxiety which increased when Iperceived that I had only three cartridges left, and Lucien onlyretained two charges. 

"You had better shoot now, " said I to the lad, "so that l'Encuerado mayunderstand that we are signalling to him. "

I again listened almost breathlessly, but in vain. 

"We must rest here without our supper, " said I, with a gayety I was farfrom feeling; "if we go on walking, we might lose ourselves. "

After cutting some fagots and making a fire in a semicircle round a treeI lay down, with my dear companion beside me; and, though I tried hardto conceal it, I could not but feel the gloomiest forebodings. 

[Illustration: "The head and bright eyes of a superb jaguar appearedabout fifty paces from us. "]

About midnight the breeze calmed down, and I closed my eyes that I mightthe better hear the slightest noise. Several times I thought I caughtthe faintest vibrations of a dull sound; but I ultimately attributedthese noises to my over-excited imagination. Suddenly a terrible roarre-echoed through the forest and woke up Lucien. 

"What is the matter? Is it Chéma?"

"No, my boy; it is a jaguar. "

"Will it come near us?"

"I hope not, but go on with its nocturnal hunting; anyhow, behind thefire we have nothing to fear. "

I put Lucien back against the tree and cocked my gun, when the head andbright eyes of a superb jaguar appeared about fifty paces from us. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXIX. 

 A NOCTURNAL VISITOR. --THE FALL OF A TREE. --A FEARFUL NIGHT. --THE MONKEYS. --MASTER JOB. --ALL RIGHT AT LAST. 

After looking at us for a moment, the animal crept cunningly round us, alternately appearing and disappearing behind the trees. I hastened tomake up the fire, and then sat down near Lucien, who, gun in hand, wasbravely watching the enemy. 

"Whatever you do, don't fire, " I said. 

"If I did, would the animal spring upon us?"

"He would far more likely retreat; but we shall want our ammunitionto-morrow. "

For an hour the animal kept prowling round, every now and then boundingoff. At last it came and sat down about twenty paces from the fire, thenstretched itself on the ground and rolled about as if in play; but if wemade the slightest movement it immediately got up, and, laying back itsears, showed its formidable teeth. Suddenly a noise as if of breakingbranches was heard, followed by reports like those of guns; then came ahorrible roar. Lucien, frightened, rushed into my arms. 

"What!" said I to him; "don't you remember the noise made by the fall ofa tree?"

"Oh papa! I have heard nothing like it since the day of thehurricane. "

[Illustration: "We now came upon some creeping plants. "]

"That is quite true; but it is an incident to which you will soon beaccustomed, for the first storm will probably overthrow many of theseformidable giants. The tiger is frightened too, for he has made off, yousee. Try and go to sleep, my dear boy, for to-morrow we may perhaps haveto walk a long way. "

I leaned my head against that of the child, who soon dropped asleep. Theforest had resumed its majestic silence, which was only disturbed by thedistant fall of another and another colossus. 

My anxiety was extreme, and though I knew our friends would range everyway in quest of us, we might so readily wander in opposite directions, as we had no ammunition to signal with should they come near. 

Towards morning, exhausted with fatigue, I fell asleep, and dreamt, inmy feverishness, that we were nearly at the end of our journey, andclose to Orizava, in sight of home. A slender thread of light announcingthe dawn of day awoke us, and we arose. 

The clearness of day now broke upon us. For a quarter of an hour I keptmy ear to the earth, listening in the hopes of hearing some signal. 

Again and again I cocked my gun with the intention of firing, and asregularly I laid it down, when I reflected I might only be throwing awaymy ammunition. 

At length I took observations of the bearings of the ground, andfollowed, as far as possible, our trail of the day before. 

In this operation we fortunately came upon a pool of water, at which wequenched our thirst; but though our hunger was excessive, and gameplentiful we dared not discharge at it a single shot. 

We hastened forward, and came upon some creeping plants, indicationsthat we were approaching a glade. Some birds were singing in thebranches as we hurried on, but I had made up my mind to shoot the firstone large enough to make a meal for my brave little companion and self. 

In spite of my efforts, I could not succeed in hiding my gravepresentiments; but my son's prattle, which was even gayer than usual, quite justified the name of "Sunbeam" given him by Sumichrast. 

"Don't be so serious, " said he to me, suddenly; "you need not bedistressed about me. I have already guessed that we are lost; but I amwith you, and I am not a bit afraid but that we shall soon find our wayagain. "

The poor child had not the least suspicion of the danger. Every moment, too, tears came into my eyes, and I felt my courage getting weaker; Imade a strong effort to dispel my thoughts, and vowed that I wouldstrive on with faith and energy to the last hour. 

"L'Encuerado will be sure to find us, " said Lucien, with such an air ofconviction that I could not help sharing his confidence. 

"Yes, " I answered; "Sumichrast and l'Encuerado will find us or die inthe attempt. It can not be possible--" I had not courage to finish mysentence. 

We commenced our march again with increased energy. 

"Look out!" cried Lucien, suddenly; "it seems to me as if some one weremoving the branches close by. "

[Illustration: "The monkey . . . Slid down, and fell dead at our feet. "]

"It is a monkey, " said I; and off I went in pursuit of the animal, which, leaping from branch to branch, seemed to set us at defiance. Suddenly it uttered a guttural cry, and was answered by twenty more. Ihid behind a tree, and told Lucien to keep silent. Two or three timesthe active creatures moved farther away, but at last they came so closethat I could fire safely. I never, I think, took more pains with my aim;the gun went off, and the band scattered in every direction in a mostprecipitous flight. The monkey I had aimed at seemed only wounded, when, as I was going to fire a second time, it slid down and fell dead at ourfeet; its young one, which we had not at first perceived, was sittingupon a limb about ten feet from the ground, uttering low, and almostinaudible, plaintive cries. 

In a quarter of an hour the animal was skinned and hung in front of alarge fire. While I was superintending the cookery, the young one moanedincessantly, and my companion tried every persuasion to coax it down. Urged by Lucien, I ascended the tree, and tried to catch hold of themotherless little creature. No doubt it was paralyzed by fear, for itonly showed its teeth, and allowed me to place it on my shoulder. Itclung to my hair and wound its tail round my neck, as I descended, and Iwas in fear every moment of feeling one of my ears bitten. Nothing ofthe sort happened, for the poor brute's teeth chattered with fear; Iplaced it close to the fire, where it immediately resumed itslamentations. Then, by means of a flexible creeper, I secured it roundthe middle of the body and tied it to a bush. 

When we had satisfied our appetite on the dark and tough monkey's flesh, I proposed to Lucien a fresh start. 

"Shall we take our little captive with us?" he asked. 

"Yes, certainly. It will be a resource for our supper, in case we do notfall in with our friends. "

"Oh no, " cried the boy; "let us at least put off killing it tillto-morrow. "

I hastened my pace, carrying on my shoulder our new companion, whom weat once dubbed "Master Job. "

I examined more carefully than ever the ground and the bark of thetrees, seeking for any thing which might direct our course. With asickly feeling at my heart, I saw the sun approach the horizon. Theboy, quite broken down with fatigue, looked at me, with his eyes full oftears. At last I halted, and the dear little fellow stretched himselfbeside me and fell asleep. 

While listening with ear and eye alike on the watch, I fancied I heardthe distant report of a gun. I jumped up--was it the fall of a tree? orwas it a signal from one of our companions? I seized my gun, but Ihesitated before expending my last cartridge but one. At length Ipressed the trigger, and I listened anxiously as the sound of my shotdied away, alas! without echo. Lucien did not move. 

"Jump up! jump up!" I cried; for a dull barking moved the air. SuddenlyI fired my last barrel; then, with eyes shut, mouth open, and nostrilsdilated, I listened intently, almost forgetting to breathe. Minutes--they seemed ages--elapsed without any thing more interruptingthe silence. Lucien looked at me with a scared face; I pressed my weaponto me in despair at having expended my last charge, when a gunshot washeard ringing out clear and close. 

"It is l'Encuerado!" cried Lucien. 

"Yes, my boy, " I said, almost frantic. 

"Reply to your friend!" I exclaimed; "one of the barrels of your gun isstill loaded. "

Lucien fired, and was answered almost immediately. 

"Call out, so as to guide them, " said I to the boy; "for we have no morepowder left. "

"Ohé, ohé, ohé!" called Lucien. 

"Hiou, hiou, hiou!" replied a still distant voice. 

At the same moment Gringalet rushed to us as swiftly as an arrow, andjumped upon his young master. After having overwhelmed us with caresses, the dog made off again, and ten minutes later the Indian made hisappearance, and, running to the boy, clasped him in his arms, androlled with him on the ground in the excess of his wild emotion. I, too, heartily greeted Sumichrast, but was almost too affected to speak. 

All my companion's efforts to discover our trail had been ineffectual;and Gringalet himself, when put to the task, had hunted in vain roundthe thickets. The fact was, they looked for us on the right, while wehad gone to the left; for Sumichrast could not bring his mind to theidea that we had turned our backs to the stream. 

L'Encuerado, after cooking, spread out on the spot his stock ofprovisions, to which every one did justice. Master Job was lodged safelyunder the shelter of a large branch, and deep sleep took possession ofthe whole party. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXX. 

 WE BUILD A RAFT. --THE HORNED SERPENT. --GOOD-BYE TO "PALM-TREE VILLA. "--MOSQUITOES AND HORSE-FLIES. --THE RATTLESNAKE. --AN OCELOT. 

The next day found us at work building our raft, and l'Encuerado wentoff with Lucien in quest of some flexible creepers, to be used forbinding together the various portions of it. When our companions joinedus, Sumichrast was squaring out the last trunks. Lucien, laden withcreepers wound all round his body, carried besides, at the end of hisstick, the carcass of a horned snake--_Atropos Mexicanus_--which hasscales standing erect behind its eyebrows, like little horns, which haveobtained for it its Indian name of _mazacoatl_. The reptile was nearlytwo feet long, and of a grayish color, and gaped with formidable jaws, more than usually dilated by the blows, I suppose, which l'Encuerado hadgiven it. 

Sumichrast, with infinite precaution, showed to his pupil the tubularfangs, by means of which serpents inoculate the terrible venom withwhich some of them have been endowed by nature. 

"When the reptile bites, " said my friend, "its two fangs press on asmall bladder at their base, and the poison is thus injected into thewound. "

Our naturalist rendered his explanation still clearer by pressing on oneof the fangs, from the end of which oozed out an almost imperceptibledrop of liquid. 

"How is it that the serpent does not poison itself?" asked Lucien. 

"In the first place, it does not chew its prey; and, secondly, its venomis only dangerous when it penetrates direct into the blood; and a man, if there is no scratch in his mouth or in the digestive tube, canswallow the poison with impunity, although a very small quantityintroduced into his veins would cause immediate death. "

After our meal, which consisted of turtle and some palm cabbage, whichin flavor resembles an artichoke, I set the example of commencing work. In less than two hours the materials for the raft had been carried tothe edge of the stream, and the frail bark which was to carry us down tothe plains was constructed and afloat. A little before sunset, l'Encuerado, provided with a long pole for a boat-hook, pushed it out onthe water to ascertain its powers of buoyancy; and the trial having beenjudged satisfactory, the raft was moored, and we all lay down in frontof our "Villa" to enjoy a siesta. 

At last, when every thing was arranged for the voyage, l'Encuerado, naked down to his waist, went behind as pilot. We gave a farewell saluteto the "Villa, " by a loud hurrah, which seemed to frighten ourmenagerie, and with a last look at the forest in which I had spent somany miserable hours the mooring was cut, and the raft floated slowlyand silently down the current. 

The raft soon drifted into a lagoon, covered with waders and web-footedbirds, which scarcely moved as we passed them, and some time was lostbefore we could regain the course of the stream. At length, guided bythe palm-trees, our skiff glided between two banks bordered by trees, the high tops of which sheltered us with their shade. 

Every thing was calm around us, and we remained silent, awed by themajesty of nature. The stream flowed on in one single sheet; creepershanging from the tree-tops drooped down into the water; whilekingfishers skimmed from one shore to the other, and humming-birds, withtheir varied and shining plumage, fluttered about the flowers. Every nowand then a low-hanging tree impeded our passage, and we had to bend downon the raft to avoid being struck by such obstacles. A mass ofunder-wood often hid the interior of the woods from our view; but hereand there a break in the foliage allowed us a glimpse into its depths. Ebony-trees, cotton-wood, pepper-trees, and palms, were intermixed withtree-ferns, magnolias, white oaks, and willows. Here and there, too, asunbeam marked out a vast circle of light upon the dark water, andmyriads of aquatic insects, gnats, dragon-flies, and butterflies sportedin the air or swam over the glittering surface. 

After a time, the state of inaction to which we were doomed, aggravatedby the stings of mosquitoes and large green-eyed flies, became a perfecttorture. 

"Those are horse-flies, " said Sumichrast to Lucien; "they are very fondof blood, and are a misery to all kinds of mammals from one end ofAmerica to the other. "

[Illustration: "In front of us opened a glade, bordered by tallpalm-trees. "]

"Their bite is more painful than that of the mosquitoes, " answeredthe boy, from whose hand a drop of blood was trickling. 

"That is because their proboscis is armed with lancets which are sharpenough to pierce the hides of bulls and horses. "

During this voyage, Lucien amused himself by teaching the two parrots torepeat the names of his brother and sister; but the birds, with one footheld up and their heads bent down, although they paid great attention tothe words repeated by the boy, as yet did not profit much by the lesson. 

In the course of our voyage we were constantly losing trace of thecurrent in some vast lagoon, and had often a long search till we foundit. In one of these searches, I caught sight of such a picturesque baythat I proposed a halt. In front of us opened a tolerably deep glade, bordered by tall palm-trees. L'Encuerado pushed the raft to land overthe aquatic plants, and I jumped ashore to moor our craft. 

A fallen tree tempted us into the forest, and on the damp ground Luciencaught sight of a magnificent rattlesnake, seemingly torpid. Sumichrastdischarged his gun at the reptile, which reared itself up, and then felldown dead. A noise immediately resounded in several directions, and twoor three snakes of the same family appeared, one of them followed bythree young ones. The snake killed by my friend measured more than ayard in length. Its skin was speckled with black, brown, and gray spots, and its flat, triangular head had a very repulsive look. Lucien, with ablow from his _machete_, cut off the rattles which give to the reptileits name. These horny appendages, of which there were seven, were givento l'Encuerado, who, like all his fellow-countrymen, believed them to beendued with miraculous virtues--among others, that of tuning guitarsand preventing the strings from breaking. 

A shot fired by the Indian led us back to the bivouac; our companion hadjust killed an ocelot, called by the Indians _ocotchotli_. 

"You see this animal, Chanito?" cried l'Encuerado, who was stroking itsblack and brown spotted fur; "well, its tongue is poisonous. When itkills a stag or peccary, it buries its prey under some leaves, thenclimbs the nearest tree, and howls until it attracts all the carnivorousanimals near. When they have feasted, it comes down and devours what isleft. "

[Illustration]

"But why does it call the animals?" I asked. 

"Didn't I tell you its tongue is poisonous? If it ate first, the venomwould be communicated to the food, and the animals that feasted on theremains would die. "

This fable narrated by Hernandez, and still told by the Indians, musthave originated in some as yet unobserved habit of the _ocotchotli_. 

After dinner, when Lucien was going towards his pets to give them somefruit, he saw an unfortunate tortoise between Master Job's paws. Themonkey was turning it over, smelling at it, and then depositing it onthe ground, persistently poking his fingers into its shell, a proceedingwhich by no means tended to enliven the melancholy animal. According tol'Encuerado's advice, Lucien stuck up some branches near the water, andput the tortoise into this miniature inclosure. 

Night came on, and Lucien was still teaching the birds to say "Hortense"and "Emile. " To our great astonishment, Gringalet went and stretchedhimself close to Master Job, who, without hesitation, commenced freeinghim from the vermin which were lodged among his hair; then the twofriends went to sleep side by side. About nine o'clock, when I wasmaking up the fire before going to rest myself, Janet opened one of hereyes and chattered a short sentence; but l'Encuerado was much too fastasleep to answer her. 

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXXI. 

 THE HUNTERS HUNTED. --ESCAPE FROM PECCARIES. --A JAGUAR-HUNT. --AN IBIS. --THE CAYMANS. --THE WILD BULLS. 

After we had finished our breakfast next morning, we embarked ourbaggage and menagerie, and prepared to depart. I was just going on boardthe raft when a noise attracted our attention to the forest, and twopeccaries rushed past us, pursuing one another. L'Encuerado, taken bysurprise, shot at one of the animals without killing it, and we all gavechase. Hardly had we gone a hundred paces, when the Indian, who was infront of us, turned right about, shouting out, "To the raft! to theraft!"

[Illustration: "A band of peccaries was pursuing us. "]

A noise like the gallop of a troop of horses seemed to shake theground. A band of peccaries was pursuing us; and as my two companionshalted to fire, I succeeded in gaining the raft, on which I placedLucien. The peccaries, about a hundred in number, rushed on in a furiouscrowd. Sumichrast, who was closely pressed by them, leaped upon thefrail bark, almost capsizing it, while l'Encuerado ran along the shore. 

"Cut the mooring and push off!" he cried out to me as he disappeared inthe jungle. 

Some of the peccaries rushed after the Indian; the others, chasing andhustling one another, deafened us with their gruntings. I cut themooring-line; and, seizing hold of the boat-hook, directed the rafttowards the right bank, whence the uproar seemed to proceed. 

"Hiou! hiou! Chanito!"

"Ohé! ohé!" I answered. 

I was just going to spring off, when the Indian came in sight, followedby Gringalet, and plunged into the water, holding his gun above hishead. 

L'Encuerado, instead of coming to us on the raft, turned towards apeccary which in its eagerness had fallen into the water and wasendeavoring to reach the bank. He seized it by an ear and dragged ittowards the raft, assisted by Gringalet, who swam, barking, behind, andbiting it when opportunity offered. 

"Fire your gun at this poor wretch's head, " called l'Encuerado toSumichrast. 

This was no sooner said than done, and l'Encuerado leaped on board, dragging his victim after him. 

The peccaries collected on the shore continued to utter loud grunts ofrage; but we were beyond their reach, for the raft was soon carried pastthem by the current. 

"Are peccaries carnivorous?" asked Lucien. 

"Yes, indeed, Chanito. If one of us had been knocked down by the band, there wouldn't be much left now but bones. "

"Isn't the peccary a wild boar, M. Sumichrast?"

"It is a pachyderm--consequently, a relation of the pig, " answered myfriend. "The wild boar is solitary, while the peccaries always go inflocks; this makes them formidable enemies in spite of their smallsize. "

"What, small! this one is larger than Gringalet!"

"The wild boar is twice as big. A characteristic of the peccary is, thatits tail is rudimentary, and the bristles spotted with black and white;moreover, only its legs are eatable. "

L'Encuerado went round the edge of the lake in order to trace the courseof the stream. We lost more than an hour in false channels, and the raftran aground in a shallow. 

When the sun had set, and all the birds were flying over us to theirretreats, we landed to bivouac for the night. 

A deep-toned roaring sound awoke me up with a start; the first thing Isaw was Lucien, with his gun in his hand, crouching down close toSumichrast. On the shore, about sixty yards from us, I saw a long tawnyform, and two shining eyes. A second roar told me the name of ournocturnal visitor, whose voice I fancied I had heard in a dream. 

"And where is l'Encuerado?" I asked my companion. 

"He is crawling away to the other side. "

A shot cut these words short; the animal gave another roar, and rushedinto the jungle. We heard a noise like a scuffle, and then the jaguaragain came in sight; it ran round and round, roaring with rage. A finalbound brought it to within twenty paces of our camp fire, when it fellnever to rise again. 

"Hiou! hiou! Chanito. "

This sound took a weight off my mind, for I could not but feel alarmedfor the safety of l'Encuerado. 

"Ohé! ohé!" was responded. 

Gringalet, who was let loose, ran towards the enormous creature, andbarked at it from a safe distance. The Indian came up, with his gun uponhis shoulder. 

"The beast is justly mine, isn't it, Tatita, and I am still thetiger-hunter?"

"Yes, " I replied; "but let the tigers alone, if they will allow you, andlet us go to rest. "

We were all going to lie down, when the roar of a tiger again shook theair. 

"Hallo!" cried my friend; "is your beast come to life again?"

"No, Tatita Sumichrast; but my tiger is a tigress, and her mate is cometo see after her. "

I told the Indian not to move. 

"Let him do as he likes, " said my companion; "he will only disobey you. "

Half an hour elapsed; all was profound silence, and we could hear theslightest-rustling of the leaves. Suddenly there was the report of agun, and, five minutes afterwards, we greeted with "bravos" thetriumphant "Hiou! hiou!" of the Indian, who, streaming with water, cameto dry himself at the fire. 

"I was obliged to ford the stream, " he said; "but his lordship has gotthe ball between his two eyes this time. "

"You are a brave fellow, " responded Sumichrast, shaking hands with him. 

"Now I shall sleep quietly, " the Indian whispered to Lucien. 

Master Job, Gringalet, Janet, and Verdet, all had their eyes wide openwhen I awoke at day-break. Lucien rose just as I was starting for thewater's edge and accompanied me. 

An elegant bird with a long curved bill came and settled down on thebank; the boy remarked the beautiful bronze-colored plumage of thewader. I informed him it was an ibis. 

"The Egyptian bird which devours serpents?"

"One of its kinsfolk, " I replied; "the ibis feeds, generally speaking, on worms, mollusks, and even on sea-weed or aquatic plants. It may, perhaps, sometimes eat water-snakes; but as to feeding exclusively onreptiles, or destroying them systematically, that's quite anotherstory. "

We now reached the bivouac, and found my companions up, and l'Encueradoin a state of high excitement over his exploit. 

Having drunk our coffee, we all turned up our sleeves, and set to workto skin our magnificent prizes. This difficult operation employed us allthe morning, and was scarcely finished when I carried our baggage onboard the raft, which was soon pushed off from the bank. 

Our way lay through walls of the densest foliage, which often metoverhead, while such was the awful stillness of the solitude, that wefelt oppressed, and only spoke in a low voice. 

The hour for rest had long passed, and yet no one proposed to land. Thefact was, we wished some more animated resting-place; and thoughl'Encuerado, with his pole, shoved us onward with energy, the numerousbends hindered our progress, and it seemed as if night would surprise usstill afloat. At last the palm-trees became more crowded, and the streamemerged from the forest, to cross a prairie; here the raft was mooredunder a canopy of creepers. 

Our first care was to stretch the tigers' skins on the heated ground, and, while I was helping l'Encuerado, Sumichrast and Lucien went off inquest of our dinners. The fire had been for some time burning, whenwe heard a distant gunshot. 

[Illustration: "The banks of the river were covered with alligators. "]

Sumichrast returned laden with a green iguana, and Lucien was draggingby a string a little alligator about thirty inches long. 

"Look, M. L'Encuerado!" cried the boy; "here is an alligator or cayman, a relation of the lizards, and an enemy of man. This ugly young beasthas only baby-teeth, so can not bite much. It feeds on fish, otters, calves, and many other animals. It is an amphibious being, M. L'Encuerado, a creature that lays eggs like fowls, but buries them inthe sand, where the sun has to hatch them; it is a brute, too, which isso fond of man that it eats him whenever it has a chance. "

"Take care it does not bite you, " said I to the boy; "how did you manageto catch it?"

"I pursued it, thinking it was a big lizard; M. Sumichrast called out tome not to handle it, and then tied this creeper round its neck. "

"You don't intend to take it away with you, I hope?"

"No; it is an ill-tempered creature, and is always anxious to use itsteeth. I shall just show it to Master Job, and then let it go. "

Neither Job nor his companions seemed flattered by this introduction, and the boy was disappointed when he deposited it at the water's edge;for, instead of plunging in, as he expected, it made a semicircle, andran off towards the forest. 

"Don't young alligators know how to swim?" he asked. 

"Yes, Chanito; but they do not go into the water till they are oldenough to defend themselves against the big males, which would devourthem. "

The sun had scarcely risen, when I saw on the shore, at about ten pacesfrom us, three monsters luxuriously stretched out. One of them, fromsixteen to twenty feet long, with a brown and rough body, opened itsenormous jaws and showed us its frightful teeth. I took Lucien by thehand to lead him nearer to the reptiles, the better to inspect them. 

"I like tigers better than these creatures, " said he; "certainly theirroaring is frightful to listen to, but they are by no means so hideous. "

"Look along there, M. Sumichrast!" cried Lucien, when we had again takento our raft; "there are eyes floating on the water!"

"You are not mistaken; they are crocodile's eyes. "

The child nestled up to me, and I encouraged him; but these dark eyesappearing in every direction, and following every movement of the raft, troubled him beyond expression. 

The banks of the river were covered with alligators, with their mouthswide agape. Some of them glided down into the water and came near us, but the majority remained motionless, not caring to exert themselves. Lucien's fear began to calm down. He had so wished to see plenty ofalligators; now he complained that there were too many. 

"Look at that one, " said Sumichrast, "climbing up that spit of land. Heturns round with difficulty, and looks as if he scarcely had the use ofhis limbs. The fact is, that his body has no proper joints, and onlymoves in one piece. The best way, therefore, to escape from an alligatoris to run up and down, making the turns short and rapid. "

[Illustration: "The Indian and his branch descended with a splash intothe river. "]

The stream had hitherto flowed almost on a level with its banks, now thelatter became gradually higher, and we floated along under an arch offoliage. L'Encuerado happened to raise himself to point out to Lucien atree covered with parrots, between whom and the Indian there immediatelycommenced a lively chatter. Diverted by this amusing conversation, none of us perceived an enormous branch, which just grazed our heads butupset our entertainer. When he emerged from the water, instead ofswimming towards us, l'Encuerado made his way to the bank, and began, with cutlass in hand, to hew and hack at the tree which had been thecause of his accident. 

"If you're going to cut down that colossus, " cried my friend, "we hadbetter encamp here, for it's eight days work at least. "

"Only wait ten minutes more, at most, Tatita Sumichrast. It shall neverbe said that this great booby broke my head and then laughed at me, tothe heart's delight of the parrots, who no doubt were the instigators ofsuch conduct. "

L'Encuerado, by the notches he had cut in the tree, could easily climbup to the lowest branch; but in his haste he slipped and fell a secondtime into the water. 

In a twinkling the Indian was up astride again on his branch, jabberinglike an ape, and slashing his knife into it, when of a sudden it gave aloud crack, and he and it descended with a splash into the river. Atthis noise the parrots sent up a wild scream and flew off, while thebranch floated past us to the ocean. Our companion climbed up again onthe raft, and laughed so heartily at his defeat of the tree and thefright he had caused to the parrots, that Lucien soon joined in hisgayety. He was, however, thoroughly exhausted, so lay down, when heslept the peaceful sleep of a child which has tired itself out with afit of passion. 

For two hours I managed the raft, and then l'Encuerado, awaking, resumedhis post in silence. Suddenly there was a heavy tramping on the ground, the boughs moved, and the head of a wild bull appeared among thecreepers. The animal surveyed us for a moment with its fierce eyes, andthen made off, bellowing hoarsely. 

The sight of this new denizen of the forest confirmed the omens as wehad already read them, and soon, accordingly, there burst upon our viewan immense savannah. We were just about to pass the last shrub on thebank of the river, when l'Encuerado suddenly brought the boat to astand-still. I stood up and saw a herd of wild cattle moving rapidlydown to that portion of the stream which we were about to pass. 

"Look out!" cried Sumichrast; "this is better worth seeing than thecrocodiles. "

L'Encuerado landed, and, crossing the prairie, called us. I found himclose to an enormous willow-tree. Without loss of time, Lucien, Sumichrast, and I climbed up among the branches, taking Gringalet withus; but the Indian preferred posting himself in a more isolatedposition. 

"We shall have roast fillet of beef to-night, " cried he, executing amongthe branches such a series of gambols that I feared he would finish byfalling. 

The cattle approached. The ground trembled under their feet, and we weredeafened by their bellowing. One of them, a magnificent bull, with ablack coat sprinkled with white spots, took the lead. The drove, whichfirst trotted on, and then stopped to browse, followed itsimperious-looking chief; the caymans, as if awakened by the uproar, assembled at the opening of the savannah, and numerous watchful eyeswere to be seen on the surface of the water. 

[Illustration: "The entire drove . . . Dashed at full gallop into thestream. "]

The wild drove halted at about fifty paces from the stream; the blackand white bull advanced alone and, first leisurely taking a drink, plunged into the water; he reached the opposite bank, where he haltedand turned right about. Then the entire drove, above which was hoveringa cloud of horse-flies, dashed at full gallop into the stream to jointheir guide. Although the drove must have consisted of hundreds, inless than a quarter of an hour there were not left more than five or sixon our side, and these seemed afraid to cross. Suddenly a gun was fired, and one of the animals came rushing past our tree with a jet of bloodflowing from his chest. Suddenly he stopped, groaned, and sank down uponthe ground. I cast a glance at l'Encuerado, who descended to the lowestbranch, continuing his gymnastic exercises. The young bulls on our side, frightened by the report of the gun, at last made up their minds tocross; one of them, however, stopping to drink, was seized by acrocodile, and gradually drawn under the water. A second disappeared inthe middle of the stream; and a third, after a fearful struggle, reachedthe bank. The whole drove, goaded on by the horse-flies, then resumedtheir furious course, and were soon lost in the distance. 

These cattle range the prairies in droves of sometimes forty thousand, and were originally imported by the Spaniards. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXXII. 

 THE KING OF THE VULTURES. --THE TICKS. --L'ENCUERADO FRIGHTENED BY A DEMON. --THE TAPIRS. --GOOD-BYE TO THE STREAM. --THE PUMA'S PREY. --A MISERABLE NIGHT. --OUR DEPARTURE. --THE SAVANNAH. --LUCIEN CARRIED IN A LITTER. --HUNGER AND THIRST. --WE ABANDON OUR BAGGAGE AND PETS IN DESPAIR. 

The next morning l'Encuerado started alone on the raft; for we hadresolved to cross the savannah on foot, and thus escape, for an hour ortwo, the insects which took advantage of our forced immobility in orderto bleed us at their leisure. 

Flocks of black vultures hovered high up in the sky, bending theircourse towards a spot not very far from the river bed. Our curiosity ledus in that direction, and in a large hole, with perpendicular sides, about twelve yards wide, we saw several hundreds of these bare-neckedgentry fighting over the carcass of a buffalo. We were retiring indisgust, when the vultures, who had not seemed the least alarmed at ourpresence, suddenly manifested fear, and, abandoning their prey, stoodaround in evident concern. A new guest had made its appearance in thesky, and soared round and round above us. It settled down heavily, andfolded its black and white wings; the new-comer was the _Sarcoramphuspapa_ of the _savants_--a bird akin to the condor. 

This king of the vultures, as the Indians call it, had a black tail, andwhite plumage on its back. Its neck was adorned with a ruff ofpearl-gray feathers, and the top of its head was streaked in symmetricallines with a dark down; on its yellow beak there was a fleshyprotuberance, the utility of which ornithologists seek in vain toexplain. The magnificent bird darted round it a domineering look, and, advancing towards the prey, began to feed. New guests were incessantlyarriving, but they all kept their distance. 

At last the _sarcoramphus_ flew away, and immediately the vulturesrushed _en masse_ on the carcass, which soon disappeared under the crowdof beaks. 

We now made for the raft, but the distance was greater than we hadcalculated; and, before going on board, it was highly necessary to freeourselves of the hundreds of _ticks_ which we had collected in thesavannah. These insects are black, and as small as fleas, and gather inmasses at the extremities of plants, ready to attach themselves to anyanimal that brushes against them. They then bury their claws in theflesh, and greedily suck the blood. It is a tedious job to pick off oneby one these troublesome parasites, which cause an almost unbearableitching. 

About five o'clock in the evening, the raft came to shore in a bayshaded by palm-trees. L'Encuerado hastened to stretch out his tigers'skins, and, as night was at hand, we contented ourselves with theremains of a tortoise. The Indian, who had walked but little, cocked hisgun and strolled along the edge of the river. In about a quarter of anhour he returned, looking pale and excited. 

"Have you been bitten by a serpent?" I cried. 

"No, Tatita, " he replied, quite out of breath; "something worse thanthat! I have seen _it_!"

"What?" I exclaimed. 

"A ghost!" said the Indian in a low tone, crossing himself. 

"Pluck up your spirits, " said I to the Indian; "if you have, we'll killit to-morrow. "

"You can't kill it, Tatita. "

"With ordinary bullets, no; but those which Sumichrast knows how toprepare will soon settle him. "

My curiosity was raised; for this ghost was an animal called a tapir, which the Indians believe possessed of supernatural powers; and, as Ihad never met with one, I was anxious that we should come across it. 

"And didn't you aim at it?" cried my friend. 

"No; I ran away, " replied the fearless tiger-hunter. 

Thus l'Encuerado, whom the evening before we had seen braving tigers, crocodiles, and wild cattle, now trembled at the mere idea of facing aninoffensive animal, which was only a relation of the peccaries, with asnout terminated by a non-prehensile proboscis, yet to which hisimagination attributed certain demoniac qualities. He that night utterlyrefused to go to rest; at the least rustling of the leaves he expectedto see the ghost appear. Instead of directly opposing his error--which Iknew would be of no use--I endeavored to convince him that my power farsurpassed that of the object of his dread. 

[Illustration: "The reeds were pushed aside. "]

"If it wasn't for that, " I urged on him, "do you think I would permitLucien to sleep in so dangerous a neighborhood?"

Sumichrast gave the Indian two bullets, and solemnly told him that withthese projectiles he would surely kill the object of his dread if heaimed straight. L'Encuerado gradually recovered his self-possession; theidea of slaying in one of its most formidable shapes the cause of hissuperstition excited his self-esteem, and he went to sleep, and no doubtdreamt of his next day's exploit. 

At day-break we walked down to the confluence of the two rivers; infront of us stretched a broad prairie covered with thick grass. If thetapir had not quenched its thirst in the night, it would be sure toreappear; therefore Lucien and Sumichrast turned to the left close bythe stream, while I and my servant crouched down behind the trunk of atree at the entrance of the forest. 

We remained in this position for more than an hour, when suddenly thereeds were pushed, aside, and two of the looked-for pachyderms came outtogether on the green-sward. 

L'Encuerado kept on crossing himself without intermission. 

"Fire, " said I, in a low voice, "and aim straight at the forehead. "

The gun went off, and the tapirs decamped; but one of them fell on theground before it could enter the water; it was dead ere we reached it. 

"You have killed the object of your dread, " said Lucien, who ran up toexamine the curious animal. 

"Yes, Chanito, thanks to the enchanted bullets. "

L'Encuerado having positively refused to touch the tapir, Sumichrastundertook to cut it up, as we much wished to taste its flesh. All ourefforts to induce the Indian to do likewise were fruitless, and hisingenious mind found a retort to all our arguments. The flesh of theanimal reminded us a little of that of the peccary, although it was lesshighly flavored. 

About midday the tigers' skins were taken up, and the raft was soonfloating over the combined streams. We had at first thought ofproceeding in this way as far as the Gulf of Mexico; but the season wasnow too far advanced to admit of such an excursion. We at length made upour minds that the next day we should abandon our raft, and return bythe shortest route to our starting-point. 

[Illustration]

At dawn of day our bivouac was enlivened by hundreds of birds. L'Encuerado cut the mooring line of the raft, and let it float down thestream, thanking it at the same time for the services it had renderedus, and wishing it prosperity in its lonely voyage to the ocean. 

[Illustration: "The deer sank down under the weight of a puma. "]

As I stood watching the frail bark gliding away, two herons perchedupon it, and it soon glided out of sight laden with its wingedpassengers. 

We were all ready to start; the "Tapir River, " as Lucien had named it, we bid adieu to with three hurrahs, and our little party set off, following Sumichrast, who carried Master Job perched on his shoulder. 

Our way lay in part through a prairie, where the heat was overpowering, and in part through palm-tree woods, infested with mosquitoes. At last, overcome by fatigue, we felt compelled to halt and bivouac for thenight. 

As we were arranging our bivouac next night, l'Encuerado saw a crayfish, and set off with Lucien to try and catch some of them. I and Sumichraststarted on the trail of some deer we had seen bounding past. We hadscarcely gone more than five hundred yards before we climbed a hillbeyond which a savannah was spread out before us as far as the eye couldreach, the high grass of which looked almost like ripe wheat. 

Sumichrast, who had halted, summoned me by an imitation of the cry of anowl. I hastily and noiselessly joined him, when he pointed out to me, among the trees, a deer quietly browsing, which would no doubt passwithin gunshot. I stood watching by my friend, following with anxietyall the movements of the graceful animal, for twice it threw up its headand showed some vague uneasiness. Sumichrast, fearing that it was aboutto make off, was getting ready to fire, when the deer gave a bound andsank down under the weight of a puma, which had sprung upon it. I firedat the carnivore, which the ferocious brute responded to by a loud roar, then, dragging its prey a distance of about fifty yards, it suddenlymade off. The venison of the deer, and more than thirty small crayfishcaught by Lucien and his friend, were a godsend to our larder, and amplymade up for the short commons of previous occasions. 

We watched the sun go down from the top of the hill, and descried on thehorizon the bluish line of the Cordillera, with the volcano of Orizavatowering up towards the west. Henceforth this mountain was to be ourguide while crossing the immense savannah, an undertaking which filledme with dread. 

"Shall we cross that great plain?" asked Lucien. 

"Yes, Master Sunbeam, it is the shortest way to Orizava. "

"How many hours shall we be in doing it?"

"Hours? We shall be three or four days at least. "

At this moment a storm, which we saw impending, burst over us, and wehurried pell-mell to our hut. For four hours the heavens continued topour down, amidst thunder and lightning, a perfect deluge, and we wereall, in spite of our shelter, soaked to the skin. The clouds broke up, and a few stars shone out; about midnight the clear sky regained itsazure tint, while the moon dimly lighted up the landscape. L'Encuerado, who slept through it, now woke up to help us to rekindle the fire andget ready a cup of coffee; after enjoying which, and changing ourclothes, we all retired to rest. 

In the morning we held a council to deliberate about the route, and, after some debate, we agreed to l'Encuerado's proposal, and decisivelyresolved to cross the savannah direct. 

It would have been madness to travel, so heavily laden as we were, underthe rays of a vertical sun; so I proposed not to start till the evening, and that henceforth we should travel by night, a plan which quiterejoiced Lucien. 

After the baggage had been equally divided, and every thing that wasuseless thrown away, I counted the maize-cakes, our only food, and foundwe had enough victuals for several days, besides crayfish, and the fleshof an armadillo. We filled our gourds up to the necks with water andcorked them tightly, then lay down in the shade to gain strength for ournext stage. 

[Illustration: "While the moon dimly lighted up the landscape. "]

About four o'clock l'Encuerado called us to dinner, and by sunset westarted, home-bound, each with his allotted burden over his shoulder. Sumichrast, with Lucien following, led the way. 

"Well, Master Sunbeam, you are nearly as much lost in the stalks here asyou were in the forest. Are your boots well greased? We shall have manydays of hard walking. "

"Where are all the wild cattle and horses?"

"Not far off, I hope! first, because they would guide us to the pondsand the streams where they drink; and, secondly, we may need them tofurnish us with food. "

"Then shall we find nothing to shoot here?"

"Nothing at all where the grass is so high as this; animals seldomventure into the midst of these solitudes. "

"And the birds?"

"They are never to be seen unless the grass grows close to the ground, excepting birds of prey; and they, perhaps, are hovering over us now, hoping we may become food for them. "

For more than five hours we kept on without stopping. I then proposed ahalt. By lying down on the grass we at once found a soft bed, and Lucienand the rest of us soon went to sleep. Before daylight l'Encuerado awokeus, when, after taking our bearings, he undertook to be our guide. Asthe first sunbeam appeared, we halted to form our camp and erect ourtent. We cleared a large space, and a hole in the ground served as afire-place. Our crayfish remained perfectly fresh, and while l'Encueradowas broiling them, I and Sumichrast watched the direction of the flames, as it was highly important for our safety that the savannah should notbe set on fire. The meal dispatched, and the fire extinguished, wesquatted down under the shadow of the grass, and resigned ourselves tosleep. 

I woke about midday, nearly roasted by the sun, which had now replacedthe shade. Calling my companions, so that they might change theirposition, a new arrangement of our covering gave us more shelter, andsoon once more all were asleep; but in the short intervening time Lucienbegan to repeat to the parrots the names of Hortense and Emile. 

At midnight, l'Encuerado shouldered his load and took the lead. Thesecond night passed like the first, and we travelled at least eightleagues. 

Our third night was interrupted by five or six halts, but we plodded ontill dawn. At the first gleam of light, I examined the horizon; therewas nothing but bluish-looking mountains to the right, and in everyother direction only the gloomy and deserted plain. On this day we hadto be satisfied with maize-cakes; but the hope of at length reaching thewoods cheered every one. 

"One night more, " said l'Encuerado and Sumichrast, "and then we shallhave rest and abundance. "

The fourth day's march was much more wearisome, especially to poorLucien, who, still uncomplaining, yet commenced to limp dreadfully. 

The day broke, and I again examined the horizon, but could see nothingexcept the sky and grass. 

"I am afraid we are not going the right way, " I said to l'Encuerado. "God grant we have not been walking at random for these three days. "

The Indian stood up on his basket, and carefully examined the outline ofthe mountains. 

"We are in the right path, " said he, positively; "the savannah is verywide, that is all. "

[Illustration: "Lucien began to repeat to the parrots the names ofHortense and Emile. "]

L'Encuerado's assurances only half convinced me. Lucien's feet were socovered with blisters that he could scarcely put them to the ground. Unexpectedly I discovered that he was weeping silently; so I took him upin my arms, when he soon fell asleep. 

In this emergency, l'Encuerado, with the straps and poles of our tent, managed to make a kind of litter, upon which we placed the boy. Sumichrast helped me to carry him, and though we had to stop hundreds oftimes to rest our arms, still we accomplished several leagues. The dayhad scarcely begun to dawn, when I again examined the horizon; alas!nothing was changed, and the only things I saw were flocks of blackvultures, which are not generally regarded as a happy omen. 

[Illustration]

Owing to an accident by which our reserve gourd was burst and thecontents spilt, we were tormented by thirst, and the only food we had toeat only half restored our rapidly-failing strength. In another day allour maize-cakes would be exhausted, and the rice was of no use withoutwater. Fatigue gradually dispelled these gloomy thoughts, and we fellasleep. 

I awoke about four o'clock in the afternoon, and was dismayed to findthat l'Encuerado had deserted us, accompanied by Gringalet. 

Having passed a whole night in useless waiting, hoping for hisreappearing, we resolved to pursue our journey. So we put all thebaggage into one heap, and set Janet and Verdet at liberty, leaving themthe sack of rice, which we could not carry. Then, loaded with our gunsand gourds--alas! almost empty--we prepared to start on our journeywithout having the courage to undeceive Lucien, who thought we weregoing to meet his friend. 

At last, having examined the horizon carefully, I placed Master Job onmy shoulder, and, led by Sumichrast, Lucien being borne between us, wepursued our course. 

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

 THIRST. --L'ENCUERADO'S RETURN. --THE DESCRIPTION OF HIS JOURNEY. --JANET, VERDET, AND ROUGETTE. --HUNTING WILD HORSES. --OUR LAST ADVENTURE. --THE RETURN. 

The undertaking was beyond our strength. Panting and suffocated withheat, and tormented by thirst, we were compelled to desist. 

Lucien's feet pained him dreadfully, but the brave little fellow keptconstantly saying, "I should be all right if I could only have a gooddrink. "

My friend several times gave him his gourd to wet his tongue from, butit was only temporary relief. Night came on, and we began to prepare forour almost hopeless march. A mouthful of brandy gave us a littleartificial strength. So even before sunset, I mounted Lucien on myshoulder, and we recommenced our journey. 

Twenty times I was forced to take breath, and twenty times I struggledon again; but happily the grass became shorter, which was a good omen, and hope revived. 

Sumichrast now lifted up Lucien, and walked on with a determined step. Itook up Master Job, and followed closely in his rear. We heard a dullnoise, and stopped to listen. It was the report of a gun, and by-and-bywe heard a horse galloping, and then a well-known bark. 

"That's Gringalet, " said Lucien. 

"Hiou! hiou! hiou! Chanito!"

Our emotion scarcely allowed us to answer; the Indian sprang from hishorse, and, running towards the child, pressed him to his heart, andthen, stretching out his arms, fell senseless to the ground. I rushedtowards him and opened his gourd--it was full! With the help ofSumichrast I poured a few drops of brandy between his teeth. Hegradually regained his senses, and looked at us in surprise. He wasexhausted from hunger and fatigue. 

"If I had eaten or drunk, " he said, simply, "I should have wanted to goto sleep, and then what would have become of you? But my hunger andthirst spurred me on, so that I have not lost a moment. "

"My good fellow!" I answered, "you ought to have taken something torestore your strength; for if it had failed, what would have become ofus?"

L'Encuerado did not hear me; he had just fallen into a deep sleep, andwe soon followed his example. When we awoke, l'Encuerado mounted thesteed he had brought, and, taking Lucien up in front, led us back to thebaggage. 

"Why did you start without letting us know?" asked Sumichrast. 

[Illustration: "We had to cross some muddy marshes. "]

"Because you would have prevented me from following out my plan. Iwas convinced there were woods and flocks not far ahead of us, and as Ifeared not the sun for myself, I started as soon as you were all fastasleep, having fortified myself for the journey with a drop of thecognac. I often longed, as I proceeded, to lie down and rest, but then Ithought of Chanito, and ran on faster than ever. Without knowing why, Istumbled, and I think I must have fallen asleep. When I opened my eyesthe sun was set, and Gringalet was licking me with his tongue. I got up, stupefied as I was, and ran forward, without halting, to the verge of awood. I dashed in among the trees, and in less than a quarter of an hourI came upon a great lake, and horses and buffaloes running wild. Mystrength, however, began to fail, and it took me more than four hours tocatch this mustang, " continued the Indian, looking down on his steed, "but I soon made him know his master was on his back. "

Having returned to our bivouac to recover our treasures, we resolved tostart immediately, as the sky was obscured by clouds. 

Next day l'Encuerado set to work to provide us all with horses. Havingprepared a lasso, the agile Indian darted off at full gallop towards adrove which were grazing some distance off; and by night had capturedfive of their number. Two days, however, were spent in breaking ourmounts and rendering them docile; but as our stores were visiblydiminishing, and we were considerably freshened up, it became highlynecessary for us to start. 

Next morning our little cavalcade crossed the plains and woods almost ata gallop. The blue mountains in front looked higher and higher, and theoutlines of the volcano grew more defined. 

The second day of our march we had to cross some muddy marshes, in whichour horses mired up to their bellies. On reaching firm ground again, wehoped to perceive a human dwelling, but the trees restricted our view. 

At last, in the afternoon of the third day, just as we were endeavoringto go round two wild bulls engaged in a combat, a horseman came out infront of us, halted for a moment as if in indecision, and then turnedshort round and rode off, after having fired his gun at us. 

We hurried on our horses, making sure of soon coming upon a _hacienda_, when we heard another gunshot, and a bullet whistled by our ears. TheIndian rode swiftly towards the would-be murderer, but he went off atfull gallop. In spite of my cries, the Indian fired at him, and horseand man rolled upon the ground. 

[Illustration]

The fool had mistaken us for horse-stealers; and the Indian, aftersoundly thrashing him, at my entreaty let him off. 

When night came, we were at the foot of the mountains; so all we had todo was to join the main road from Vera Cruz to Mexico. Our horses werenow set at liberty, after having been overwhelmed with compliments andpolite speeches by l'Encuerado. The brave animals at first appearedundecided which way to go, and remained without moving, keeping theirnoses to the wind. At last one of them neighed and darted off, when therest followed at the top of their speed. 

We were now scarcely twelve leagues from Orizava, and almost painfullyimpatient to reach it. Woods, mountains, valleys were crossed with akind of feverish haste, and the approach of night alone forced us tobivouac. 

At about three o'clock in the morning, Lucien began to reproach us forour laziness. 

Wood-cutters now passed, who saluted me by name, and one guided us formore than a league, astonished at l'Encuerado's tales. He left us at thefoot of a mountain, the last we had to cross, the steep acclivity ofwhich somewhat damped our ardor. 

Lucien was the first to arrive on the plateau. A few steps farther, andthe town of Orizava lay stretched in peaceful repose at our feet. 

As the young traveller contemplated the town in which was his home, involuntary tears moistened his cheeks; he stretched out his armstowards it and sobbed. 

All of us, however, shared his emotion to some extent. Now that we weresafe, we rejoiced that I had undertaken this expedition. I thanked Godfor His manifest protection, and, for the last time, gave the word tostart. 

As we descended the mountain, the town became more distinctly visible. L'Encuerado could name the churches and streets; at last Luciendiscovered his home, which was easily recognizable by the magnificentorange-tree. In order to satisfy the boy's impatience, we made our waythrough a steep ravine. Our little party reached the valley just as thebells were ringing for vesper prayers. 

The sun was setting, and we were wrapped in obscurity; Indians keptcrossing our path at every step, and the lamps were here and thereshining out through the dark. The Rio Bianco barred our passage; butlarge stones, placed at intervals in the river, enabled us to cross italmost dry-shod. Then Gringalet suddenly barked, and darted off like anarrow. 

Twenty minutes after, we entered Orizava by some of the side streets, toprevent a crowd following at our heels. When we were about fifty pacesfrom our house, Lucien and l'Encuerado darted off at a racing pace; theyfound all the inmates of our home assembled on the threshold. Gringalethad announced our arrival. 

When I entered the court-yard, Lucien and his mother were sobbing in oneanother's arms; Emile, Hortense, and Amelie were grouped round thebasket, on which Janet and Verdet were sitting. I noticed, standing in acorner, the cases which had been intrusted to Torribio. 

L'Encuerado came and leaned against the door of the room, twisting thebroad brim of his hat quite out of shape. 

"If it had not been for him, " I said to my wife, "we should have died!"

The brave Indian stooped and kissed the hands of his mistress. 

My children, who had gone out for a few minutes, now burst into theroom; they had ransacked the basket, and were disputing for poorRougette, who was placed in the fountain in the garden. Janet andVerdet, perched on the back of a chair, stammered the names of Hortenseand Emile, as well as could be hoped. The two children became pale withpleasure and surprise. 

Just at this moment, Master Job, introduced by Gringalet, came and satdown on the carpet, and allowed the children to caress him. 

It was delightful to sit down to table surrounded by all the beingsdearest to my heart. L'Encuerado kept praising Lucien, who continuedexciting his mother's emotion by relating to her the principal incidentsof our journey. 

"I am sure, mamma, that you will let me go with papa another time, " saidLucien. "Our collection is not finished yet, and it must be completedsooner or later. "

The young naturalist might be recognized in this question, for thecollector is ever insatiable. 

His poor mother shook her head, and embraced her boy without replying. But her silence seemed to show that she would not willingly expose herson to the perils of a fresh journey. 

[Illustration: Finis]

Transcriber's Notes:

Obvious punctuation errors repaired. 

In this text macrons are represented by brackets and the equal sign beforethe letter [=a]. The oe-ligature is represented by brackets [oe]. 

Page 6, "off" changed to "of" (proud of their)

Page 52, "Ohe! ohe!" changed to "Ohé! ohé!" ("Ohé! ohé!" repliedLucien. )

Page 89, word "wood" added to text (sufficient wood to)

Page 140, "Clingling" changed to "Clinging" (Clinging tightly to)

Page 206, "Ohanito" changed to "Chanito" (Ah! Chanito, " cried)

Page 282, "ANHINGÁ" changed to "ANHINGA" (THE ANHINGA. )

Page 285, "companion" changed to "companions" (and companions such)

Page 305, "Chema" changed to "Chéma" (Oh Chéma!)

Page 306, "belief" changed to "relief" (in bold relief)

Page 311, "an" changed to "a" (nice a one)

Page 319, "savants" italicized to match rest of text (cereus_ of_savants_)

Page 334, "Terribio" changed to "Torribio" (Torribio also seemed)

Page 371, "when" changed to "then" (burden, then he)

Page 431, ink blots obscured word. "a[ink]came" changed to "and came"(and came upon)

Both "daybreak" and "day-break" were used in this text. It also uses"coyote" and "cayote".